Moon science and moonshine will each be featured at the December 4 virtual Gala hosted by the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. The Gala theme, “MoonShine on the Mountain,” celebrates the region’s mountain heritage with humor, stories, and music, as well as the Museum’s own Rocket Room that encourages play in a space-like setting, a press release said.

Sugarlands Distilling Company, the Gatlinburg-based producer of award-winning moonshine and other spirits, will add its expertise and storytelling to the event, supporting the Gala in a variety of ways.

As for moon science, Molly McCanta will be a guest at the Gala, explaining how she and her University of Tennessee students are analyzing moon rock from NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The UT professor is participating in a three-year project with researchers at two other facilities as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing in 1969. [Read more…]