Contact: Charlotte Patterson, Education
Coordinator
Release Date: Immediate
End Date: August 7, 2013
(252) 335-1453
History for Lunch
Divine Coincidence: When the Wandering
Planets Meet
The Museum
of the Albemarle will host a History
for Lunch on September 4 at 12:15
p.m. Woodrow W. Grizzle III, Planetarium Educator in the Department of Chemistry,
Geology & Physics at Elizabeth
City State
University will speak on Divine
Coincidence: When the Wandering Planets Meet.
Mr. Grizzle gives the following
comments about his topic. In
antiquity, the planets were thought to be divine beings that wandered among the
stars. The word planet comes from the Greek planetes, which
means "wanderer." We now know that these celestial lights,
which often outshine the stars by reflected sunlight, are actually other worlds
in space: some somewhat similar to our world, others quite different.
Occasionally, due to the nature of the eight worlds orbiting the Sun,
these planets will appear together in the same part of the sky (sometimes, even
the Moon joins in) in an event astronomers call a conjunction.
Conjunctions have been studied with great interest since
antiquity. Great astrologers, who sought to discern future events,
studied the planetary motions with great precision. Today, conjunctions
are mostly appreciated for their aesthetic qualities and, due to their beauty
and great visibility, for their ability to inspire us about the cosmos and the
celestial clockwork of which we are all a part.
In this lecture, we will look back at some famous historical
conjunctions, discuss the astrological past, define the difference between
astrology and astronomy, and look forward to a thrilling conjunction to take
place on September 8, 2013.
Bring your lunch to the lecture and MOA will provide the
beverages.
For more information concerning the
event call 252-335-1453.
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