All GAM 2011 Programs

Contribute to this important project during Global Astronomy Month 2011

The Moon and Culture project seeks to bring together the unique cultural perspectives of our closest neighbor in space, the Moon, from cultures around the world. Every culture on earth has a view of the moon that is unique to them, their heritage and their identity as a people.

Share your cultural Moon stories with others through this unique collection.

The moon is a source of inspiration to the people of our planet; ever present in our skies, it has spurred humanity to think about what is beyond ourselves and our world. This inspiration has taken many forms. To the most ancient of cultures the moon was a celestial being, a god, a harbinger, an omen. The moon could also signal change.  Its constantly changing face provides people with a celestial guide to the natural world: when to plant crops, when to harvest, when to fish or hunt certain types of animals, when the women were fertile and what type of personality the child would possess upon being conceived under a certain phase of the moon. The moon is a practical guide to the rhythms of the universe, the cycles prevalent in nature.

Our goal is provide a central repository, a virtual library that will include the combined knowledge and lore of the many peoples of the earth and their own unique cultural perspectives on the moon. Our goal is to collect folk tales, lore and cultural science. The AWB website will provide a single source whereby all the peoples of our planet can discover each other’s cultural perspectives on our closest neighbor in space.

For more information write to the project manager, Chris Phillips.

Share your stories of the Moon in your culture with others around the world. Submit them here.