It is possible that life as we know it could not have developed here had the moon not been there to keep the Earth in line and continue to stabilize the orbital position of the Earth so our climate could remain stable and mild. A third significant influence of the moon comes from that origin as coming from a collision which ripped the body of the moon from the developing core of the Earth. To this day, you can easily get an animated discussion at any gathering on the topic of Is there intelligent life on other planets? Many have tried to explain mankind s seeming obsession with outer space as a result of an ancient memory or as part of mankind s eternal nature. Whatever the cause, people of every age and every nation share this one deep interest, to know more about the universe that our tiny planet is just a part of. However, because of the strong gravitational orbits of the many planets in our solar system, the comet does not always immediately collide with the sun and often takes on an orbit of its own. The life expectancy of comets varies widely. Scientists refer to a comet that is expected to burn out or impact the sun within two hundred years as a short period comet whereas a long period comet has a life expectancy of over two hundred years. And don t be fooled but the blotting out of part of the moon when it is not in full moon stage. The phenomenon known as earthshine gives you the ability to see the darkened part of the moon with some detail as well, even if the moon is only at quarter or half display. To kick it up a notch, a good pair of binoculars can do wonders for the detail you will see on the lunar surface. For some, that wow moment becomes a passion that leads to a career studying the stars. For a lucky few, that wow moment because an all consuming obsession that leads to them traveling to the stars in the space shuttle or on one of our early space missions. But for most of us astrology may become a pastime or a regular hobby. It is great fun to start learning the constellations, how to navigate the night sky and find the planets and the famous stars. There are web sites and books galore to guide you. -Get some history. Learning the background to the great discoveries in astronomy will make your moments star gazing more meaningful.