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On July 16, the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, the moon will be darkened in night skies. A partial lunar eclipse will be visible to people across South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. (In the United States, we will miss most of the show.) This cosmic coincidence is a reminder of some of the awe we feel when looking up at the night sky, and some of what inspired America’s race to the moon. While humanity’s eventual lunar return may be some years off, there are many more events in the decades to come that will draw attention back toward our majestic moon.

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Eclipses

Lunar eclipses, when Earth moves between the moon and the sun, are enjoyable nighttime astronomical extravaganzas. But the moon really steals the spotlight during solar eclipses, when it moves in front of the sun.

The 2017 “Great American Eclipse” drew more than 215 million skywatchers. It was such a hit that it will return for a second tour across the United States on April 8, 2024. It will also be Canada’s first total solar eclipse since 1979 and Mexico’s since 1991.