Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Moon Landing on 20th July 1969 & Total Solar Eclipse

20th July is the day when Neil Armstrong, Edwin Eugene Aldin and Michael Collins landed the Moon in Apollo 11 and this day is preserved as the reflection of an extraordinary Achievement of Humans. The first dusty footprints left by them were also indelible footprints left on the hearts and imaginations of the human race. No other adventure was shared by more people. No other quest has meant more to our species as a standard by which we measure our icredible potential. What a great feeling to hear the voice of Neil Armstrong when he reached there and on the Achievement, he said "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Mankind".

To celebrate this historic occasion, NASA and Google announced the launch of the Moon in Google Earth, an interactive, 3D atlas of the moon, viewable with Google Earth 5.0. The Moon in Google Earth enables users to better understand the moon and mankind's relationship to it using an immersive, 3D experience. Ames Research Center and Google brings together the virtual exploration of the moon to anyone with a computer. To learn more about Moon in Google Earth, click here and watch the video.

Btw, on 22st July 2009, India will experience the longest Total Solar Eclipse of the century to take place Wednesday morning in the country. What makes this solar eclipse so unique is that it is occurring at the end of the great year which is known as the precession of the equinoxes, which means over a period of 26,000 years the sun will finally return to its starting point where it crosses once again the galactic equator. Find more information on NASA.

As Science is behind the celestial magic eclipse, to mark the Total Solar Eclipse viewing, various programs are held in Gujarat. At Science City in Ahmedabad, Nasa Cards will help to view Eclipse. NASA has sent 500 eclipse lenticulars for the upcoming total solar eclipse programme on a special request of Gujarat Science City. The Lenticulars are the most attractive resource materials for the school and college students as it is good for hands-on experience and minds-on exposure on total solar eclipse. Science City has distributed the cards to school and college students for Eclipse observation. On tilting the card, one can observe the various process of a total solar eclipse.

The July 22 total solar eclipse, originating in the Gulf of Cambay in Surat, is expected to last 6 minutes and 44 seconds, making it the longest eclipse of the century. The next such celestial spectacle will take place 2132.

Well, here are links for Parents and Teachers to some great sites to teach kids on Science and Total Solar Eclipse.

http://www.kidseclipse.com/ http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/science/moon_interactives.htm http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more/205la.html

- ilaxi patel
Editor, www.kidsfreesouls.com

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