Outreach

Moon observation in Xalitzintla: a night to reconnect with the Earth and the sky

Xalitzintla, Puebla, April 5, 2025. As part of the TONATIUH project, the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics (INAOE), in collaboration with Tierra de Volcanes, organized a moving moon observation at the Xalitzintla Community Center for the Earth.

The activity was especially meaningful for the Xalitzintla Community Agrocultural Working Group for the Earth, with the enthusiastic participation of children, youth, and adults from the community.

During the revelry, Dr. Agustín Márquez Limón, a technician from the Astrophysics Department, gave a talk on the influence of the Moon on agricultural cycles, addressing how the lunar phases and its gravitational pull affect the movement of sap in plants, and how this knowledge can be leveraged during planting, pruning, and harvesting times. The relationship between the lunar calendar and traditional agroecological practices was highlighted as a valuable tool for strengthening food sovereignty through an approach based on the observation of nature.

Afterward, a telescope assembly workshop was held, led by Carlos Alexandro Giles Berrum, Ana Loren Hernández Moreno, Leticia Ramírez Villalba, and Guillermo Cerdán Hernández, who, as INAOE volunteers, shared their knowledge with young people, children, and adults from the community.

Thanks to clear skies and the support of the team, attendees were able to observe the Moon, Jupiter, Mars, the Pleiades, and other celestial bodies, sparking wonder and curiosity.

This activity is part of a training process that aims to ensure that the youth of the community group will soon organize a Star Night event for the region. This is part of the efforts of the TONATIUH project, an INAOE initiative organized by Dr. Ismael Cosme, a researcher at this Institute, aimed at linking scientific knowledge with community practices for a just energy transition and territorial resilience, through participatory actions that integrate science, photovoltaic agroecology, and local culture.