National Moon Day is a holiday that celebrates the natural satellite that’s been orbiting the Earth for the past 4.5 billion years. All throughout history, the moon has been Earth’s constant companion and a source of wonder for mankind.

That’s why we feel that everyone should take a few moments and celebrate this holiday every July 20th. This holiday is also a good excuse for everyone to learn a little bit more about the moon and its orbit around the planet.

The History Of National Moon Day

National Moon Day owes its existence to U.S President Richard Nixon. In 1971, he proclaimed July 20th to be observed as National Moon Day to commemorate the anniversary of man’s first moon landing.

Mankind walked on the moon for the first time on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped out of Apollo 11 and stepped onto the lunar surface. Since this holiday’s conception, over a dozen U.S States have sponsored resolutions observing it as Moon Day.

Fun Facts About The Moon

Below are some of the facts that we uncovered while we were researching this holiday. We found the following moon-related facts so interesting, we just had to share them with everyone. So if you’re a fan of the moon, or aspire to celebrate this holiday, then below are some facts that you are probably going to want to learn.

• Only one side of the moon is ever facing the Earth.
• The Moon is 400 times smaller than the sun but is also 400 times closer to the Earth than the sun.
• The Moon’s gravity not only affects tides on Earth, but it also moves rock in much the same way.
• The Moon does contain water trapped beneath the surface and trapped in minerals on the surface.
• The Moon’s water was most likely delivered to it by comet impacts.
• The Moon was created when a Mars-size rock slammed into the Earth 4.5 billion years ago.
• 400 trees are growing on Earth that spent their time orbiting the moon when they were just seeds.
• The Moon experiences seismic activity just like the Earth. These quakes are known as Moon Quakes.
• The Moon is actually bigger than the planet Pluto. So is the moon a planet or is Pluto a moon?

Observing National Moon Day

Anyone interested in this holiday can take the time to learn more about the moon or the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. It’s also a good day for people to break out their telescope and spend some time observing this natural satellite—if it’s not too cloudy that day.

And finally, a person can celebrate this holiday by using the hashtag #NationalMoonDay to let everyone know that you’re taking the time to pay homage to the moon.