VOLUME 1, Nº 3
DATE: APRIL 2016
Reach the Sky Bulletin SARMISEGETUZA REGIA, THE DOOR TO OTHER WORLDS
Sarmisegetuza Regia, the Dacian fortresses from Orăstiei Moun-tains was founded over 2000 years ago. It is situated at an altitude of 1200 meters and is one of the location from the UNESCO's World Heritage list. The name of the fortress, Sarmis-egetuza apparently comes from "Sarmis is getuza" meaning "Hermes is the defender", that's because Dacians worshiped the Sun knows as Hermes, Sermesse, or Sarmis Sarmis. The ancient capital of pre-Roman Dacia was destroyed in 106 by the Roman army. Strabon, the famous Greek historic and geographist, notes various things about the scientific and astronomical knowledge, reminding about Zamolxis as one who learned from Pythagoras some heavens' science. Obviously, at that time, astronomy supplied to the needs of orientation and chronology, very useful to populations that were always fighting but also for the respect of the rhythms of agricul-ture and hunting. The sacred feasts were also cyclical and the sky was seen as the refuge of divinities. One of the priests’ main con-cerns was how to establish correct calendars. At Sarmisegetuza, the most important preserved building is the sanctuary. This fact must not surprise us: there are appreciations about the level of the Dacian culture, which go back up to Haerodotus (5 century BC). This fortress include a complex made from six sanctuaries and, therefore the place was named "the sacred place". The bigger
Sanctuary of the fortress consists of three concentric circles made up of andesite columns, embodying a 30 meters large solar calendar, and known as Dacian calendar. Near this sanctuary is a Solar Disc or a Andesite Sun. Some people believes that this Andesite Sun is the gateway to other worlds. According to some historians, it seems like the Andesite Sun served as an altar of sacrifice, it has a carved stone basin for the sacrifices' blood. An-other hypothesis is that the Andesite Sun had the role of a sundi-al. We can also suppose that the ingenious builders Included in the dimension/position of the gnomon knowledge about the change of the Sun’s altitude during the seasons. Thus, during the noon of the winter solstice, the year’s longest shadow had to positioned to the eastern edge of the stone prolongation, while during the summer solstice the shadow had to touch only the edge of the disk, the blocks becoming the pages of an eternal celestial calendar. The Great Circular Sanctuary is alike Stonehenge, and the Adesite Sun resemble Mayan calendar, and this is a fascinating fact, that the Dacian people knew the secrets of
astronomy. They had a very precise way to calculate time. The Andesite Sun is a surprisingly accurate calendar. This sanctuary is a circular plat-form with 10 rays. It can be compared to the famous Mayan cal-endar. It still remains a mystery the way in which it was built. The rocks were brought from very far, more than 100 km away. Often, this Dacian settlement ruins are ideal destinations for the people who loves astronomical phenomena. According to historical documents, the Dacians were knowledgeable of the movement of the stars, so Sarmisegetusa Regia is a symbol of ancient science. The Gothian historian Jordanes believed that in this region of the world there were persons “almost as scholary as the Greeks”. In his work De origine aetibus que Getarum, he wrote that Dacians knew the 12 zodiacal signs, how the Moon heaves on and vanishes, the name of 346 stars, etc. Therefore it is easy to see why the great circular sanctuary, still preserved at Sarmisegetuza, illustrates perfectly the level of the astronomical knowledge of our ancestors concerning the Universe, the time, the seasons, the geographic and astronomic orientation. The sanctuary has a calendar system still insufficiently studied, but the Andesite Sun is a jewel of universal culture, unfortunately badly preserved and hardly known. Covaciu Claudia, Romania
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BEFORE I WENT TO POLAND Before I went to Poland, I had fear but when sure that when they come here, we will have great time together and gain I arrived there, I started to overcome my different friendships. THANK YOU for this project to my all teachers :) strange feelings. I always asked myself how they Afra Tuba DERELİ will behave us but I understood in a short time Turkish Team that the Polish are friendly and kind people. I had little information about this country before I went there but then my friend Zofia, her family and Erasmus Project friends taught me the culture, history and famous places of Poland. We love Krakow, Krynica and Gorlice. Thanks to this project, I have many friends from different cultures. Now, I am at home and I still talk with them and this makes me really happy! Especially my home mate Zofia made me love Poland and I had lots of fun with her. The most important thing is that this project has provided me many experiences that I have never had before. Now, I can't wait to host my friends from 4 different countries and especially Zofia! I also want to be a good host in Turkey :) I am
THE MOON, MOON ROMANCE they will find you on the anvil with your eyes closed. The horseman was approaching playing the drum of the plains. Within the forge, the boy has his eyes closed.
The moon came to the forge with her bustle of nards, The boy looks at her, look, The boy is looking at her. In the stirring air the moon moves her arms and shows, smooth and pure, her breasts of hard tin. Run away moon, moon, moon. If the gypsies came, with your heart they would make white necklaces and rings. Child, let me dance. When the gypsies come,
on my starched whiteness. Child, let go, don't step on my starched whiteness.
Run away moon, moon, moon, I hear their horses now. Child, let go, don't step on my starched whiteness. How the zumaya sings, oh, how it sings in the tree! In the sky goes the moon with a boy by the hand. Inside the forge they cry, screaming, the gypsies. The air veils it, look at it. The air is veiling it. Run away moon, moon, moon, I hear their horses now. Child, let go, don't step
Federico García Lorca Spanish poet Glosary: Nard: a plant of the lily family with very fragrant white flowers, especially at night . zumaya: nighthawk, a nocturnal bird. Eva Hüeter (Austria) Erasmus+ fellow IES Magallanes, Spain
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CZEŚĆ! - LEARNING POLAND IN ERASMUS+ An interview with our student Bianka Nagy, participant in the 2nd project meeting, Gorlice, Poland Reporter(R): Can you name 3 things which make Poland popular? Bianka Nagy (B.N.): 1. Kraków was the headquarters and the place of coronation of Polish kings and the nation's capital from 1038 until the move to Warsaw in 1596. 2. Poland was the centre of the European Jewish world with 3.3 million Jews living in Poland and 3. The Jagiellonian University was founded in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kraków R: Do you know which places are visited by foreign tourists in Poland? B.N.:Kraków, Warsaw, Gdansk, Zakopane R: Do you know any famous Polish people? B.N.:Frederic Chopin-was a famous Polish musical composer; Nicolaus Copernicus the Polish astronomer who was the first person to propose that the earth was not the center of the universe and Pope John Paul II. R.: What events which took place recently in Poland are discussed in your country? B.N.:I think one of the events which was discussed in Romania is the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. It took part on 27 April 2014. R.: Do you know any words in Polish? B.N.: Off course! Cześć! - Hello!, Dziękujęthank you, no- nie, tak- yes, dobra- good, kocham Cię = I love you! R.: What were your expectations about the visit to Poland? B.N.: I wanted to be everything alright. I expected to learn a lot of new astronomical things, but also I expected to meet nice people with who I could make beautiful memories. All my expectations became a reality. R.: In what ways do you like learning about the country you are visiting and its culture? B.N.: I like learning about a country by visiting it, seeing all the important places and monuments with my own eyes and I like the fact that when a guide is accompanies me telling the whole story. R.: Did you prepare in any way for the visit in Poland? B.N.: Yes, I learnt some basic words in Polish, so I could greet my host’s parents in their language and I could say thank you in their language when they gave my something. But, I also read some articles.
about Poland, to know some things about this beautiful country before visiting it. R.: What is your opinion about Poland/ Gorlice? B.N.: Gorlice is an eventful town. You can’t get bored there. For example, the park is the perfect place to walk or to skate, but if you want to play bowling with some friends, you can go to the Galeria Parkowa. You can also go to a little library which is full of books. Poland is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited. It’s oldest university is the Jagiellonian University, where graduated some remarkable people as Nicolaus Copernicus, Pope John Paul II, and many other people between th actual president of Poland, Andrzej Duda. R.: What is your opinion about Polish people? B.N.: Polish people are very friendly. As a student, who has never visited Poland before, I can say that polish people tell you all the facts, legends and stories about their country and the town they live in. They are nice people who don’t let you leave their country without knowing all the stories and legends or to leave it disappointed. R.: What is your opinion about Polish food?
B.N.: Polish food became one of my favorite. Their pierogi is one of the most delicious Polish dishes. It is made of semi-circle shaped unleavened dough filled with mashed potatoes, but it also can include onion and cheese, too. The topping is onion with sour cream. I like it very much. R.: Have you found any similarities between your country and Poland/Polish? B.N.: I think that every country is similar to another in some ways, but Poland is in more ways similar to Romania then we could expect. The most visible similarity you can see on a map. Poland has mountains, hills and has an exit to a sea. After this geographic similarity, you can find a lot more similarities in the cities or in everyday’s life. The similarity I found between Polish and Romanian cities is the life in them. The majority of people are out at shopping or at a restaurant or maybe they go for a walk when it’s good weather. The most similarities I found in the old cities. At the first look they aren’t similar, but their stories coincide in a way or another. R.: Would you like to visit Poland again? B.N.: Yes, I would like, because I want to visit the other beautiful cities situated in Poland. The visit to Krakow made me to be interested in all the old cities’ stories and legends which are situated in Poland. R.: Which session was the most interesting to you? Why? B.N.: The most interesting part was when we were at the observatory in Niepolomice and we could learn about the night sky and the Solar System and all the pictures were projected on the ceiling. R.: Did you learn something new during this meeting? B.N.: Yes, I learned a lot of about astronomy but I also learned some legends and stories about Krakow which I didn’t know until that moment. R.: What is your opinion regarding astronomy after the scientific sessions from Gorlice? B.N.: I became interested in astronomy very much and I think I will start to learn about more astronomical facts in the future. It opened my eyes and I think that this is a good think. I became aware of light pollution and since then, I try to turn off the light outside when I don’t need it. R.: Bianka, thank you and good luck! Camelia Kallos, Romania
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CZEŚĆ! teachers, hosts were very helpful. The trip was also an opportunity to have once in a life time. I am so lucky and proud to be part of it. My host was so friendly, kind and funny. By the way, I want to thank one more time to Aleksandra's family for their hospitality and kindness. They were really nice people and they always tried to make me feel like home. Also we visited lots of different, beautiful places, so I got chances to learn about the Polish culture, too. It was really nice to learn the history of Krakow, its castles and of course Gorlice. I have to mention the cuisine of Poland was great, too. I'd like to eat 'Pierogi Ruskie' again.
The second meeting of the Erasmus+ Project was in Poland. I am so glad that I was there. Our travel to Poland was very nice until my suitcase was broken. I was really sad about it, but when we arrived to Poland I realized that it wasn't a problem. Because the minute I told my suitcase was broken, everybody looked for a solution. The
It was an unforgettable experience. This project really changed my life. Because now in Gorlice and all around the world I have amazing friends that I'll never forget. We had great time together. So thanks to everybody who makes this trip better. Yağmur YİĞİT Turkish Team
A TRIP TO POLAND The Erasmus+ teams from five countries met in Gorlice to share experiences From April 4th to 8th in the quiet village of Gorlice the representatives of Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey, each team composed by both students and teachers, were presenting their work during the last months in the Erasmus project called “Reach the sky”
close to the Slovaquian border where we have the opportunity to do Solar and night-sky observation and some other activities in the forest. To the spanish team was particularly curious the dinner doing sausages in the bonfire, something that none of us have done before.
In case of Spain the group was two teachers and eight The spaniards of Reach the Sky came back to Tenerife students travelling from Canary Islands, 5000 kilometers with the feeling of have seen the perfect job of the polish team away. In spite of we expected the weather was as fine as what we leaved in the island, at least during the first part of and have met a group of wonderful people. the meeting. Text: JJ Murcia The activities prepared by our polish colleges were very Photos: J Fajardo interesting, not only inside the school, with several lectures, but in the outside doing solar observation and street games. We also were visiting the Niepolomice Observatory and learning about the historical heritage of Kracow. Other day all the group went to Radocyna Obsevation Spot,
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ERASMUS + We have learned so many things from our Erasmus Project.We learned about the new cultures and had a chance to improve our English. My host family was great. They were really polite and helpful. They taught their culture to me and I also taught my culture to them. I cooked them Turkish coffee and I also showed them how to make Turkish coffee. My host, Arek was like my brother. We spent wonderful time together. My first day was awesome because I met so many people and it was a really good experience for me.We played Street game with other Erasmus students and thanks to this game, we learned so many things about Poland. On the second day we visited Krakow. Krakow was a beautiful and developed city. We visited the old town and learned many things about the history of Poland. In the evening, we went to Niepolomice to make some observations and we had a chance to see the sunspots and observe the Jupiter. At night we listened to music and we taught each other our traditional dancing. Next day, we had some lectures about Astronomy and Light pollution. It was really interesting, so I didn’t get bored although I don’t like lectures so much On our last day we visited Krynica and there we had a chance to relax there before we left for home. It was wonderful to be a part of this project and thanks to it I
have wonderful friends from all over the world right now. Thanks for everything. We will miss Poland so much… Umut ÖZKAYA Turkish Team
ASTRONOMIC NEWS OF THE MONTH: NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN GALAXY SPOTTED ORBITING THE MILKY WAY diameter of 7000 light years – which, if we could see it, would look twice as big as the full moon. The galaxy is notable because it is brighter than nearly all of the many galaxies found orbiting the Milky Way during the past decade. It emits 160,000 times more light than the sun. Ghostly appearance The galaxy eluded detection for so long because its stars are spread out from one another, giving it a ghostly appearance. The Galaxy´s empire has a new colony. Astronomers have detected a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way whose span stretches farther than nearly all other Milky Way satellites. It may belong to a small group of galaxies that is falling into our own. Giant galaxies like the Milky Way grew large when smaller galaxies merged, according to simulations. The simulations also suggest that whole groups of galaxies can fall into a single giant at the same time. The best examples in our cosmic neighborhood are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the Milky Way’s two brightest satellites, which probably orbit each other.
The Crater 2 dwarf is near four other new-found objects: the Crater globular star cluster as well as three dwarf Orbiting galaxies galaxies in Leo. All may be part of a group About four dozen known galaxies that is just now falling into the Milky Way. orbit our own. The largest in terms of breUntil now, though, the new galaxy adth is the Sagittarius dwarf, discovered in 1994 – but it’s big only because our ga- has led a quiet life, never venturing near a laxy´s gravity is ripping it apart. The next giant galaxy. We know this because the galaxy is round. If it had encountered a two largest are the Magellanic Clouds. giant, gravity would have bent the dwarf Now, Gabriel Torrealba at the Uni- out of shape. versity of Cambridge and his colleagues have found a new galaxy about 380,000 Source: Ben Croswell, New Scientist light years away in the constellation Crater. It’s the fourth largest satellite of the Milky Way, Named the Crater 2 dwarf, the new galaxy is not apparent to human eyes, though individual stars within the galaxy are visible.
The Crater 2 dwarf has a half-light
Neima Padrón Castañeda, Spain