Wednesday, August 7, 2013

August 2013: MOA presents History for Lunch



 

NEWS RELEASE
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.

No comments:

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails