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Ancient Astronomical Calendars
Space Travel
Since the beginning of time, people have looked to the heavens with wonder. In the book of Genesis in the Bible, the people decided to build a tower that would reach heaven. According to the scriptures, God saw that people could do anything they wanted to do if they worked together, so He caused people to speak different languages and scattered them around the earth -- He later destroyed the tower as well. The attempt to build the Tower of Babel happened after the great flood, but before Abraham's covenant with God. Yes, humans have always been fascinated by the sky…the heavens….and the desire to reach out and touch it.
Back in the 1960s, President John Kennedy challenged America to put a man on the moon before any other nation could accomplish the feat. On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. aboard; the destination was the moon. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon. He uttered the historic words, "One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." Space travel became a reality.
Since that historic day in 1969, we have sent unmanned space craft to Mars and Saturn. They have sent back some truly amazing photographs. We are learning more and more about our solar system and the other plants that circle our sun.
America's space program is still at work and the possibility of space travel is a very real possibility. There are many problems that must be overcome before a manned space craft can be launched and sent to other planets, but I do believe that someday it will happen -- maybe not in my lifetime, but someday.
See Also:
Mercury Seven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir Christopher Wren
The Zodiac
The zodiac is a cycle that covers a year's time. There are several versions of the zodiac system. There is a Babylonian zodiac, an Indian zodiac, a Chinese zodiac, a Western zodiac, and several others. All of the various zodiacs are basically the same. They are all based upon the constellations and they all contain 12 stations, or signs.
The Western zodiac is the one that is mostly used in the United States. Modern Western astrological signs are really just simplifications of the signs used in Hellenistic times.
In the list below are the Roman names for the signs of the zodiac, their ecliptic longitudes of their first points, the symbols that represent them, and the associated dates:
Aries: 0°, the Ram, March 21 to April 20
Taurus: 30°, the Bull, April 20 to May 21
Gemini: 60°, the Twins, May 21 to June 21
Cancer: 90°, the Crab, June 22 to July 22
Leo: 120°, the Lion, July 23 to August 22
Virgo: 150°, the Virgin, August 23 to September 22
Libra: 180°, the Scales, September 23 to October 23
Scorpio: 210°, the Scorpion, October 24 to November 22
Sagittarius: 240°, the Archer, November 22 to December 21
Capricorn: 270°, the Sea-goat, December 22 to January 19
Aquarius: 300°, the Water Carrier, January 20 to February 18
Pisces: 330°, the Fish, February 19 to March 20
Sidereal zodiac astrology (used mostly by Indian astrologists) dates are different from the tropical zodiac astrology dates. However, the tropical zodiac dates are the ones that are used primarily in the West.
Astrology is not an exact science (if you think of it as a science). All of the implications of certain signs and the position of certain planets are open to interpretation. Different astrologists will give different readings based upon the same information.
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More articles:
Neptune - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
MARMET- METEORITES
Mirrors & Lenses
The Planet Saturn
Mirrors & Lenses
Telescope Jargon
History of Astronomy
Astronomy is the oldest of all sciences. It has its roots back in the beginning of time. There is evidence of astronomy playing a large role in religious, mythological, and astrological practices of pre-history. Mankind has always looked to the heavens with wonder mixed with a healthy dose of curiosity.
In the earliest cultures, heavenly bodies were identified as gods or spirits, and these gods and spirits were thought to control such things as rain, drought, seasons, and the tides. The first astronomers are believed to have been priests or Magi. The earliest calendars were based upon the phases of the moon and the time between phases.
Western astronomy has its roots in ancient Mesopotamia astrology. The modern practice of dividing a circle into 360 degrees, of 60 minutes each, began in ancient Mesopotamia with the Sumerians.
The oldest astronomical writing that we have is Tablet 63 of the Enuma Anu Enlil. It is called the Venus tablet of Ammi-saduqa. The Venus tablet lists the first and last visible risings of Venus over a period of about 21 years, and it is the earliest conclusive evidence that the phenomena of a planet were recognized.
Since the beginning of time, man has looked up. The sky, particularly the night sky, has been full of mystery that humankind wanted to understand.
The old civilizations of China, India, Greece, and Rome all looked to the stars for explanations to earthly situations and problems, inspiration and guidance. They found all of those things, but they also found knowledge, and over the centuries our knowledge of astronomy has grown. But there are those who believe that we have only just begun to learn all the heavens have to teach us.
Related Topics: Ancient Astronomical Calendars,
The Demotion of Pluto, Astronomy28
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