Costa Rica Events – A partial eclipse of the Sun in August of next year, meteor showers and the movement of the nearest planets are some of the astronomical events that Lunario 2017, of the Cientec Foundation, will allow you to follow.
This year, the educational material produced by that organization since 1993 will be dedicated to biodiversity. For that reason, the image chosen to illustrate it is a toucan, Pico Iris (Ramphastos sulfuratus). The photograph of Rónald Arias will be used for this purpose.
Alejandra León, Executive Director of the Cientec Foundation said, “Every year we look for a theme; last year it was Saturn.”
For 24 years, Cientec has made Lunario and it has become a collectible for people. León commented that they go to remote places and find Lunario on people’s walls and to known that people collect them excites the team.
Since this tool incorporates the cycles of the Moon, information gathered is useful for farmers and ranchers. It is also suitable for the tasks of fishermen and travelers on large bodies of water, photograph lovers, observers of the nocturnal nature, educators, students and families.
Other information included in Lunario are moon-sun celebrations of five cultures or religions: Christian, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Chinese, according to a Cientec statement. They want people to see the calendar as the development of the passage of time by mainly observing the Sun and Moon.
The person in charge of Cientec said that this instrument will help those who buy it understand the cycles, and to look for interesting objects in the sky.
Those interested in acquiring a copy of Lunario can do so in different establishments of the country. Among them: the University Library of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), BioSalud, the Lehmann bookstore and Fresh Markets. It has a suggested price of ¢ 5,000.
León stated that although sales from Lunario is a way to get funds, they give away money to activities with educators, Ministry of Environment and Energy for the country’s protected areas and to dissemination.
By Brenda Sotelo
