Celebrate International Observe the Moon Night

MILLBROOK – Experience Innisfree after dark during a special celebration of NASA’s International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, September 19, from 6:00 to 9:30 PM. Tucked into an ancient glacial bowl with very little light pollution, Innisfree is an especially memorable place to watch the night sky. Guests can arrive early, perhaps with a picnic to enjoy on the overlook as the sun sets, hear a short talk by award-winning science writer and communicator Corey S. Powell, then head into the garden for telescope viewing with volunteers from the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association.

At 6:45 PM, Powell will be back again to kick off the evening with a short, informal talk about the Moon. The talk will be amplified so everyone gathered on the overlook can easily hear. Powell has served as editor-in-chief of both Discover and American Scientist, was previously a member of the Board of Editors at Scientific American, and has collaborated with Bill Nye on books, television programs, and the Science Rules! podcast. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Aeon, Nautilus, IEEE Spectrum, and MIT Technology Review. Learn more at coreyspowell.com.

After the talk, guests can head into the garden, where Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association volunteers will have telescopes set up around the lake for viewing the Moon and other celestial objects. As twilight fades, the garden will become truly dark by about 7:47 PM. Volunteers will answer questions and offer close-up views of lunar craters, mountains, and other features difficult to see with the unaided eye.
Space is limited, and advance registration is strongly recommended. If the garden approaches capacity, guests with pre-reserved tickets will be given priority. For tickets, details, and updates, visit innisfreegarden.org/events/moonviewing-2026.

The event is entirely weather permitting. If cloud cover makes night-sky viewing impossible, the event will be canceled and tickets refunded.