There was no major event in moon exploration in 1609. While Galileo Galilei made groundbreaking astronomical observations with his telescope around this time, he focused primarily on the planets, not the moon.

Here's what happened:

* 1609: Galileo Galilei, in Italy, improved the telescope and made significant observations of the moon, but his focus was on the planets and their phases. He made drawings of the lunar surface, which were the first detailed observations of the moon.

* 1610: Galileo published his observations of the Moon, Jupiter's moons, Venus's phases, and sunspots, which challenged the geocentric model of the universe.

Therefore, while 1609 saw the start of Galileo's observations, it wasn't specifically a landmark year for moon exploration. His observations were critical in advancing our understanding of the moon and the cosmos, but it was his later publications and continued work that made a greater impact.