International Moon Day
A/RES/76/76
A/RES/76/76
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
International Moon Day is observed on 20 July. The United Nations General Assembly declared the observance in 2021 through resolution A/RES/76/76.
The day marks the anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon during Apollo 11 in 1969 while also recognizing lunar exploration by many states and promoting awareness of sustainable exploration and use of the Moon.
Why it matters
The Moon has scientific, cultural and technological importance, and current lunar activity involves research, exploration, engineering, international law and questions about long-term sustainability.
An observance guide should distinguish the historical Apollo 11 milestone from the wider history of lunar exploration and should avoid implying that one country represents all achievements in Moon science and exploration.
History
The UN General Assembly declared 20 July International Moon Day in 2021 through resolution A/RES/76/76 on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
The date marks the anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon on 20 July 1969 as part of Apollo 11. The first International Moon Day was observed in 2022.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/76/76
First documented observance
The first International Moon Day was observed in 2022.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Ways to observe
Compare major lunar missions from different countries and explain what each was designed to learn or demonstrate.
Observe the Moon safely with the unaided eye, binoculars or a telescope and record changes in phase and visible features.
Explore how lunar exploration relates to communications, navigation, geology, engineering and international space law.
Discuss what sustainable lunar exploration could mean without assuming that legal or policy questions are already settled.
Use mission archives and space-agency sources when checking historical claims or technical details.
Useful facts
International Moon Day is observed on 20 July.
The UN General Assembly declared the day in 2021 through resolution A/RES/76/76.
20 July marks the anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon during Apollo 11 in 1969.
The observance also recognizes the achievements of all states in lunar exploration.
The day promotes awareness of sustainable Moon exploration and utilization.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
United Nations General Assembly — A/RES/76/76 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs — International Moon Day background (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — International Moon Day (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Moon Day?
20 July The stored recurrence guidance is: 20 July.
Does International Moon Day fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is International Moon Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Moon Day?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is International Moon Day international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.
Why is International Moon Day on 20 July?
The date marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission on 20 July 1969.
When did the United Nations establish International Moon Day?
The UN General Assembly declared the observance in 2021 through resolution A/RES/76/76.
Is International Moon Day only about Apollo 11?
No. Apollo 11 explains the date, but the UN observance also recognizes lunar-exploration achievements by all states and promotes awareness of sustainable Moon exploration and utilization.
How this differs from closely related observances
These distinctions are separately reviewed and source-backed. They clarify scope; they do not change either authority record.
Is International Moon Day the same as International Day of Human Space Flight?
International Moon Day on 20 July marks the first human landing on the Moon and promotes awareness of lunar exploration and sustainable use. The International Day of Human Space Flight on 12 April commemorates the beginning of human spaceflight with Yuri Gagarin’s 1961 flight.
Open International Day of Human Space Flight →Distinction sources
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