Time to Take Your Family to the Moon!

Big Screen Families

Time to take your family to the moon!

 No? Then it’s time for you and your family to go to where the moon is: your backyard or your front yard. Your neighborhood is fine if the moon view is better there than in your backyard. Or walk or drive to the best moon viewing place. Take your family to the moon? I know, it’s just the idea of exploring the moon. But you can still “take your family to the moon.” Take them to a place where, while standing on earth, everyone with you gets a clear view of the moon. Watch it rise, set and move across the sky.

The moon is full this week. It will be the first full moon of 2020. We know there should be 11 more. But there aren’t-there are 13 full moons to be experienced in 2020. Surprise! The month of October will have two full moons…it is a “Blue Moon” month.

 Why should any human view a full moon? Consider 5 reasons…

1.       It is massively impressive: observing earthly beauty strengthens the human soul.

2.       While full a full moon happens every month…the full moon remains a rare natural event. Some months, the weather is cloudy and the moon is obscured. Rare things are worth seeing.

3.       Full moon viewing is best done outside. Viewing the full moon is a reason to go outside.

4.       Full moon viewing removes your family away from their screens. The full moon is a BIG screen.

5.       No time outside is ever wasted. There will be other nature surprises to be discovered. You and your family will like it.

 Five full moon viewing suggestions:

A.      In the northern hemisphere, the best time for moon viewing is during the winter months. Why?

1.       It’s about bedtime for the smallest people in your family. Sunset comes early, moon rise is spectacular in low light. Last…any time you and you family can watch the moon…do it.

2.       Cold air is clear air. Viewing the moon in clear air reveals more of its details.

B.      Dress for the weather. Since your goal is to spend at least a half hour or more observing…warm clothes are a priority. Start with everyone’s feet…winter boots, wool socks…then snow pants, a winter weight coat, stocking cap which covers the ears, and lined gloves or mittens…While you could view the moon from a strategic place in the warmth of your vehicle…my recommendation is to observe outside…in the cold. This requires warm gear. Ok, I’ll relent-stay in the car the first trip. Build-up in successive visits to observing outside.

C.       Consider your moon viewing trip an expedition. Expeditions are journeys with a purpose. Start with this one: What can be discovered about the full moon?

D.      After viewing gather your group to “debrief.” Keep it simple but do this. Ask each person in your family expedition to share what they saw…provide a detail or two-something they think the rest of the family missed.

E.       Taking time to view a full moon is the first step. There are many other wonderful facts about the moon. I suggest the following web site: 

Teach your family the phases of the moon. Observe them. Teach them the names of the different types of full moons which occur through the year: like Super Full Moon and Blue Moon. Consider photographs of the moon.

Are your children ever skeptical that God exists? Are you?

Watch the moon.

The Bible calls it, “The faithful witness in the sky.” Psalm 89:37b

Are you up for it?

Time for a family moon expedition!