Coiled Stone Rattlesnake with Day Sign
The idol is a fine-grained stone that was carved into a snake coiled from its tail to its head. Created by the Aztecs, the idol contained a sculpture of a rabbit sits at the base of the sign as well. The rabbit represent numerals that correspond to the twenty Aztec days. A circle that is placed next to the rabbit describes the number one. The statue puts on display the importance of animals in Aztec culture. Animals depict numbers in their numerical system and represent occurrences that happen at specific times. The intricate day sign gives credence to the idea that the Aztecs had some sort of calendar that they used to track time. This level of organization gives credence to a very structurally sound bureaucracy in the Aztec culture.
House Model with Musicians
The stone carving created by the Aztecs depicts musicians playing under an opening that looks like a house. There are individuals that are holding instruments and others holding festive jars. The surrounding structure around the musicians was shaped like an open alter. The stone carving displays the possible recreational activities the Aztecs provided for their people. The Aztecs had musicians and a culture of revelry that existed in an organized fashion. They had detailed instruments and provided a forum to entertain their people with music.
Waldseemuler's Maps
Martin Waldseemuler drew a world map in 1507 AD to diagram an initial picture of the new world. He had drawn the first map of the Americas. The map was formed with 12 wood block sheets that are molded together to create an image of the new world. It was the first European map to ever show the Pacific Ocean. The significance of the map includes a map that displays the topography of the new world. This signaled the first map that someone could look at to draw out trade routes to the Americas. The age of maritime travel and exploration caught fire once people could see what was yet to be explored in the new world.
The James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope is a new type of telescope from NASA that is capable of taking photos in infrared light. Proposed in 2013, the telescope will be used to focus on how the galaxy came to be. Since the big bang, the galaxy has been cooling down. The photos taken will be able to show the relative ages of parts of galaxies. The exhibit for the telescope consisted of a large poster surrounded by an interactive feature. This interactive experience detailed all space projects that involve telescoping activity. The interactive software allows people to see the galaxy using all types of light including, visible, infrared, and ultraviolet.
Orion Constellation Program
The Orion Constellation Program is an effort by NASA to revisit and set up a colony on the moon. Eventually, the project will allow for exploration of distant planets. A plan for launch is set for no later than 2015 and the duration of the mission is still unknown. Preliminary plans for exploration include visiting the international space station, carrying up to four people to the moon, and studying the effects of space on the human body. The exhibit of the Orion Constellation Program included posters detailing the proposed plans of the mission as well as a scaled model of the spacecraft that will propel the astronauts into space. There was also an interactive scale that would display a person’s weight on the moon.
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope was commissioned in April 1990. It has taken many pictures of celestial objects, which has shed light on galaxies distant from Earth. Developed and operated by NASA, the telescope uses solar panels to power its many instruments including gyroscopes for orientation and flywheels to direct the sophisticated cameras. The exhibit is an interactive poster that displays the various pictures taken by the telescope. The poster illuminates the specific galaxies that have been discovered by the photographs taken by the Hubble.
The Library of Congress has exhibits that are geared towards scholarly adults who aim to be informed by findings from the new world. In contrast, the National Air and Space Museum is geared towards children and young adults. The exhibits are framed to be user friendly and the information is simplified so that younger people would be able to understand the exhibits.
Exploration has changed throughout history in that humanity has been searching for different things when comparing the 16th century to the 21st century. During the great age of exploration, countries were moving towards finding new lands in an effort to increase their grasp on the world economy and society. By owning more land in the new world, countries could effectively control trade routes and make their empires more profitable. In today’s society, people explore in search of knowledge and scientific understanding of the world around us and beyond. During the space race, countries competed for global prestige. However, at the core of all exploration is the thirst for power on a global scale.