International Moon Day 2023: Why is Moon Day celebrated? All You Need To Know

International Moon Day 2023: Every year July 20 is observed as International Moon Day all over the globe. The day celebrates the first landing by humans on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 lunar mission. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon in a location that they then named Tranquility Base on the same day.

Thursday marks 54 years since humans first walked on the moon.

On this International Moon Day, see how @UNOOSA promotes the peaceful use and exploration of space. https://t.co/pGjCISDMub pic.twitter.com/GXxP6IrCeT

— United Nations (@UN) July 20, 2023

What is the theme for International Moon Day?

This year marks the 54th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Mission. And according to the International Moon Day Organisation, this year Moon Day will be celebrated on the theme “Beginning the New Lunar Journey For Humanity.” The theme emphasises educating the general public about how crucial it is to conduct sustainable lunar exploration. 

Why is International Moon Day celebrated?

According to the official website, “The Moon Village Association submitted an application during the UN-COPUOS 64th Session, for the proclamation of International Moon Day on July 20, the anniversary of the 1969 first human landing, from the United States of America, with the Apollo 11 mission. The proclamation got approved on December 9 2021, by the UN General Assembly.”

In its resolution 76/76 on "International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space" in 2021, the General Assembly recognised July 20 as International Moon Day, a United Nations-approved international holiday.

The celebrations will also take into account the accomplishments of all States in lunar exploration and increase public awareness of environmentally friendly lunar exploration and utilisation.

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What is the significance of International Moon Day?

In collaboration with UNOOSA, International Moon Day became an annual celebration all around the world. As per Moon Village Association, International Moon Day is an opportunity to inform the public, promote, and raise each year, at the global level, awareness of the situation and prospects for humanity, the sustainable Moon Exploration and Utilisation, and the need to act jointly to regulate activities on and around the Moon.

International Moon Day serves as a reminder that space exploration is still taking place today, in addition to its historical significance. Technology has made amazing strides during the past 50 years, allowing us to travel farther into space than ever before. This worldwide celebration will serve as both a testament to past achievements and an ongoing reminder of the ambitious goals for future Moon exploration missions. With the blessing of the UN, this event will promote more global cooperation between global stakeholders as well as increase the participation of the next generation in achieving this aim.

About Apollo 11 Mission

The Apollo 11 mission was the historic NASA spaceflight that achieved the first manned moon landing. Launched on July 16, 1969, it carried astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins. On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the lunar surface in the Lunar Module "Eagle." Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon, famously saying, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." They spent about 2.5 hours conducting experiments and collecting samples. Apollo 11's successful return to Earth on July 24, 1969, marked a significant milestone in space exploration and a momentous achievement for humanity.

This year's Moon Day is particularly significant for India because the Chandrayaan 3 mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was just successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. In order to improve its voyage, Chandrayaan-3 is travelling in a circle rather than in a straight line to the moon. It is expected that the spacecraft, which was launched on July 14, will make a soft landing on the moon's surface on August 23.

After the US, Russia, and China, India will become the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon if this mission is a success.

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