Skylore from Planet Earth: stories from around the world... Our MOON
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“When, as the garish day is done, Heaven burns with the descending Sun, ‘Tis passing sweet to mark, Amid that flush of crimson light, The new Moon’s modest bow grow bright, As earth and sky grow dark.” From “The New Moon” by William Cullen Bryant After the Sun, the Moon was the most important celestial body to the early civilizations of Earth. Here are a few reasons why: Ancient people depended on the Moon for regular tides, seasonal rains, and many other events that repeat regularly. Our days of the week were named in honor of the Sun, Moon, and visible planets. The day Monday was named for the Moon, “Moon’s Day”. Even the word “month” comes from the word, “moon”. They are both rooted in a word that means, “to measure”. The Moon was probably our first means of measuring time. The craters of the Moon were named in the middle of the 17th century by Johannes Riccioli, an Italian Jesuit priest. They were named after famous philosophers and scientists. It is not surprising that early cultures around the world found our Moon central to their mythologies. Come explore fifteen of the stories around the world about Our Moon told down through the ages.
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About the Book
The starry night sky has always filled us with wonder. Down through the ages we have looked to the skies for guidance from the images of our heroes, gods, and monsters. Storytellers have illustrated their mythologies and legends with it, passing on to future generations the customs of their people. Many of these stories have survived to the present. In this Skylore from Planet Earth we explore some of the stories about Our MOON. People from the entire planet have looked to it for a reminder of their own traditions. Fifteen richly illustrated stories take the reader on a trip around the world, giving a glimpse into the histories and cultures of the planet’s early civilizations. The six books in this series feature other sky phenomena as seen from early cultures around the world. Read stories about the constellation ORION; the star cluster PLEIADES; our galaxy, MILKY WAY; and the planet, VENUS. One more book is coming soon: the COMETS & METEORS.
About the Author
During her over thirty years of teaching, Dayle Brown specialized in planetarium education, finding that a planetarium is the perfect classroom for teaching astronomy related subjects. She discovered that storytelling becomes even more magical while gazing up at a starry sky. Storytelling is a wonderful way to introduce children to past and present cultures of the world. In 1993 and 1994 Ms. Brown served as co-director of NSF Leadership Institutes in astronomy and space science, and in 2001 was a writer for Indiana Science Curriculum Frameworks Document. As the owner/director of Pegasus Productions, Ms. Brown provides astronomy related presentations to schools and the public. She presents papers and workshops about planetarium education and storytelling under the stars at professional conferences. Ms. Brown left the classroom to continue her work as a planetarium educator and to pursue her love of art. Her award winning watercolor paintings have shown in area museums and galleries. She has received commissions and grants for her artwork. Ms. Brown lives with her husband, David Piser, in South Bend, IN. They enjoy traveling and spending time with their children and grandchildren.