Moon Day!
What is Moon Day?
Moon day is celebrated on July 20th. For the uninitiated, it's the anniversary of the day the Apollo 11 team set foot on the moon! Although Russian cosmonauts are credited with a myriad of achiements when it comes to the space race (first satellite to orbit the earth, first living organism in space, and the first man in space, to name a few), this event marked the official end of the space race - a worldwide televised event, stretching from July 16th to July 24th, 1969. This momentous occasion should be celebrated not as a way to canonise the crew members or excuse the actions of a nervous, war-torn world - but as a symbol of human ingenuity, as it is a culmination of the work of all people who have studied and applied the sciences in their life.
How to celebrate Moon Day:
There are a number of people who celebrate Moon Day in their own way, but to me, Moon Day is about celebrating achievement, whether that's acedemic, scientific, philanthropic, or otherwise. After all, the moon landing was only possible because of teamwork and the human spirit (and a lot of government money but that's besides the point). If you choose to celebrate, no matter how you celebrate, take a moment to reflect on the achievements you've made this year, or the good you've heard about. They can be big or small, and they don't even have to be "important" - all things are important enough under the right lense. The world we live in is growing harsher and more fragile by the second, but despite corporate interest and thirst for power biting at the neck of the common man, there will always be people working for better, especially you.
Ideas for Moon Day Activities:
- Watch the Apollo 11 mission in real time!
- Learn some fun facts about the moon, the Apollo 11 Mission, and other moon mission!
- Share photos of the moon!
- Share news about any scientific achievements you've heard about (or been a part of! Lucky!)
- Throw a party, or gather with friends online!
- Make moon-themed food! I have some recipes below!
- Listen to some themed music!(I recommend sci-fi soundtracks, or the top hits of 1969)
- Visit a place you've never been before!
What to eat on Moon Day
If you decide to throw a party, or just want to make yourself something nice, here are some foods I reccommend!
- Apollo 11 foods - it's hard to nail down a proper menu inspired by the Apollo mission, because so many different kinds of food were consumed throughout the mission! Here are some standouts:
- Beef Stew - allegedly one of the most consumed foods onboard Apollo 11. It was wet packaged too, so it was just like from home!
- Peaches - The first food consumed in orbit around the moon!
- Dried bread cubes - The first food to ever be consumed on the moon. Buzz Aldrin was an elder at his church, and before setting foot on the lunar surface, took communion using a wafer and wine taken from his church (he got special permission for it!).
- Tang soda - Despite popular belief, Tang soda was not aboard the Apollo 11 mission, but it was heavily advertised as such!
- Space-exploration-themed foods
- Rocket Hotdogs - usually made for Fourth of July celebrations, these are hotdogs wrapped in filo pastry, made to look like rockets or fireworks! If you live in the US, this is a great way to get rid of any excess food you might've made over independence day!
- "Moon rocks" - A fancy name for slightly mishapened rice crispy treats, or any kind of irregularly shaped cookie.
- Freeze-dried food - Freeze-drying was a huge part of food preperation for early space exploration, as it is easy to transport, doesn't loose nutrients in processing, and can be re-hydrated to be more appealing to the consumer! All kinds of food are freeze-dried and sold nowadays; in fact, in some science museums, you can even buy freeze-dried ice cream, just like NASA packed in the precursor mission to Apollo, the Gemini!
- Moon-themed foods
- Croissants - Not only are the shapes of croissants crescent-moon shaped, they also help you get into the spirit of the day if you have one for breakfast!
- Peaches - Peaches were one of the first foods to be consumed on the flight to the moon! They're also nice and ripe in the Northern hemisphere around this time, which makes them an easy treat.
- Pies - all kinds of pies are associated with the moon, from pizza to cobblers to half-moon pies, to good old-fashioned fruit pies! Think about the waxing and waning of the moon, the same way that a pie shrinks when a slice is taken from it. In fact, any kind of round food works well as part of moon-day cuisine!
- Cheese - I mean, the moon does certainly look like it's made of cheese! You could set out a cheese plate, or make quesadillas, or if you've got the equipment, make some fondue!
- Mochi and mooncakes - In the folklore of East Asia, there's a figure called the Jade Rabbit, who's sillhouette you can see in the shadows of the lunar surface. It sits at a mortar and pestle, grinding and pounding an elixir of immortality, but sometimes it will take breaks to pound rice cakes, mochi, tteok, or make moon cakes!
- Moon Milk - Moon Milk is a spiced dairy drink usually prepared for relaxation or to prepare for sleep. It's made by lightly warming milk on a stove, stirring in spices and sweeteners, and mixing to infuse the flavors. It can be enjoyed hot or cold, and can be made with any kind of milk, not just dairy! It's also not specifically alcoholic, but you could definitely add a splash of brandy or rum as a treat. You could also make other creamy drinks like horchata or eggnog!
- Byrdie's personal recipes