International Moon Day 2022: Why Moon Day is celebrated on July 20?

International Moon Day 2022 is celebrated on July 20 to commemorate the anniversary of the first landing on the lunar surface by humans. Read more about Moon Day theme, history, and why the day is observed?

Shailaja Tripathi
Jul 20, 2022, 11:16 IST
International Moon Day 2022
International Moon Day 2022

International Moon Day 2022 theme: International Moon Day is being celebrated for the very first time on July 20, 2022. On December 9, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the proposal submitted by the Moon Village Association and several other groups within the organization. The application to observe International Moon Day was submitted to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

International Moon Day 2022 commemorates the anniversary of the first landing on the lunar surface by humans. Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 Mission. On International Moon Day 2022, learn more about the day’s history, significance, and why July 20 is celebrated as Moon Day.

International Moon Day 2022 Date

Moon Day or International Moon Day is observed on July 20. This will be the first Moon Day that will be celebrated by the global community. 

— NASA Moon (@NASAMoon) July 18, 2022

International Moon Day 2022 Theme

The theme of the International Moon Day is ‘Lunar Exploration Coordination & Sustainability’. The aim of the inaugural celebration theme is to educate people about the importance of sustainable lunar exploration.

International Moon Day 2022 History

During the 64th session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), the Moon Village Association submitted an application that requested the designation of July 20 as International Moon Day. The United National General Assembly approved the proclamation on December 9, 2021.

The Moon Village Association is a non-government organization that was created in 2017. It functions as a permanent global informal forum for governments, industry, academia, and the public interested in the development of the Moon Village. It is a concept that seeks to transform international cooperation in space exploration and the new approaches for lunar exploration.

International Moon Day 2022 Significance

The International Moon Day will be observed annually every year by the global community. Moon Day will aim at educating and promoting the sustainable utilization and exploration of the moon and the need for regulations of activities on and around the lunar planet. On International Moon Day 2022, the events will be organized with a top-down (inaugural celebrations) and bottom-up approach (other global events) on an international level.

International Moon Day 2022: Why Moon Day is observed on July 20?

International Moon Day on July 20 celebrated one of the memorable moments in human history. It was on July 20, 1969, US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon. It was the first time that a human had set foot on the moon’s surface.

Upon landing on the moon, with millions of eyes watching history being written, Neil Armstrong hopped down the ladder and said, “That is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” The Apollo 11 astronauts used the lunar module called Eagle to reach the surface of the moon.

International Moon Day 2022: 5 Interesting facts about first landing on moon by humans

1. Apollo 11 was the American Spaceflight that first landed humans on the moon.

2. The first human to land on the lunar surface was Commander Neil Armstrong and the lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin.

3. Both the astronauts landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20.17 UTC. Neil Armstrong became the first person to land on the moon’s surface six hours and 39 minutes later on July 21 at 2.56 UTC.

4. Buzz Aldrin joined Neil Armstrong 19 minutes later, and they spend two and a quarter hours together exploring the site.

5. While on the lunar surface, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of the lunar material to bring to the Earth for research and study.

Important Days and Dates in July 2022: National and International

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