Exhibition
Date: 8th & 9th of December 2009
Time: 10.00am 04.00pm
Venue: Navarangahala. Royal College
Its been 40 years since the historical event that change the whole view of the mankind. Scientists says that there are still many answers to be gleaned from the moon rocks collected by the Apollo 11 astronauts on their historic moonwalk 40 years ago July 20.
Apollo 11 carried the first geologic samples from the Moon back to Earth. In all, astronauts collected 22 kilograms of material, including 50 rocks, samples of the fine-grained lunar "soil," and two core tubes that included material from up to 13 centimeters below the Moon's surface.
In November 1969, then-U.S. President Richard Nixon requested that NASA create approximately 250 displays containing lunar surface material and the flags of 135 nations, U.S. possessions and states.
A part of these stones were gifted to Sri Lanka by former US President Richard Nixon in 1973 and at present kept in the Geological Unit of the National Museums Department.
These moonstones will be available for public display from 8th to 9th of December 2009. This is a rare opportunity as the stones are not brought to public display often.
Read an article on Apollo 11 Moonstones at Universe Cafe
