By Lubna Abdel-Aziz What magic spell has the moon cast on us helpless earthlings? Forever captives to its hypnotic powers, we never tire of gazing at its serene majesty as it sails in the heavens, hovering over us. Its silvery sparkle, its intense lustre, its seductive splendour have bewitched mortals since the dawn of time. Underneath its radiant beams we have walked and talked, harvested and hunted, laughed and cried, loved and fought many a romance and many a war. Throughout history man has wondered and pondered its significance. Yet with all the primitive mythologies of yesteryear and scientific theories of today, the moon still remains an unsolved mystery. Moon is the earth's closest neighbour in space, the brightest object in the sky. Yet it gives off no light of its own. Its ' shine' is merely the reflection of the light from the sun. Though its looks different to us, ranging from a gleaming silver globe to a thin slice of light, the moon itself does not change in size or space. It travels around Earth once every 29.5 days. Moreover, it boasts the distinction of being earth's only natural satellite. Scientists estimate that the moon is about 4.6 billion years old, much like the age of the entire solar system. It seems larger than the stars only because it is so near the earth. With all its allure, it is not as inviting as it looks. It is a dark and lonely place, silent and still, with no air, no wind, and no water -- unbearably hot during the day, intolerably cold at night and the sky is constantly black. Yet, man has always dreamed of travelling to the moon. His dream was fulfilled on July 29th 1969, when US astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on the face of the moon. Since then the urge to visit the moon has been unstoppable, growing by leaps and bounds. Nonetheless it was somewhat of a surprise when the world woke up last Wednesday, October 22nd and to find that India had successfully launched its first mission to the moon on its spaceship "" (Sanskrit for 'moon-craft'). Like its predecessors, the Indian- built spaceship will try to 'unravel more of the mysteries of Earth's closest celestial body.' How will that knowledge, if acquired, help the poor, the sick, the needy, the hungry -- or the crashing economy? It matters little! What matters is that India will now be able to assert its power in space, and claim some of its potentially lucrative business opportunities. Furthermore, its flag will stand side by side with the three previous flags of the US, Russia and Japan. Asia is now well represented up there, with China, Japan, South Korea, and now India all vying for a piece of the moon pie. In fact, it was only one year ago that China launched its first moon mission. India's space program has now reached maturity and this launch is "proof of its technical capability in an advanced area of science." The question that begs to be asked, is why such extravagance? Is a space programme not a waste of resources, while millions of citizens in both countries lack the basic means for human existence. I am all for advanced technology, but humanity first. But we do digress. Let us return to that celestial body which is far more powerful than the countries trying to assert their power by merely landing on it. It is an indisputable fact that the moon has a remarkable effect on the ocean's tide. The earth and moon are inoxerably linked together by a gravitational force which causes the water to rise, while the earth is pulling clownward causing the high tide. Since water levels are dependent on the forces of the moon, it is believed that just like the ocean, the human body is composed of 80% fluids will also be affected by the full moon, causing an upset in human behaviour. The fullness of the moon has traditionally been blamed for human as well as natural catastrophes. Insanity, also called 'lunacy' (Latin luna = moon) is often an excuse for crime. During the 19th century English lawyers used 'guilty by reason of the full moon,' as a defence for their clients. Research has shown that a full moon has a direct effect over increased homicide but there has been no research on increased romances or weddings. Some sceptics see no relationship between man and moon, but fact or fiction, the many superstitions about the moon's effect on man's sanity and behaviour persist. Poets and musicians have paid tribute to the magical radiance and overwhelming beauty of this celestial body. Shakespeare compared the moon to a 'silver bow new -- bent in heaven,' and Percy Bysshe Shelley described it as That orb éd maiden ,With white fire laden, Whom mortals call the moon By the 19th century Jules Verne and H.G. Wells landed travellers on the moon. Musicians like Beethoven and Debussy wrote their Moonlight Sonatas and Claire de Lunes, and popular songs have sailed on Moon Rivers, and Moonlight Bays. Whatever the reality of the surface that we are now well familiar with, its stark rocks and craters and stiff strong crust, has not erased its romantic notion from the human psyche. Why is it when nothing grows or lives in moon soil, some earth plants grow better when moon's dust is sprinkled on earth's soil? Is it moon magic? The mystery continues. Bewitching and bewildering, the moon continues to beguile by its resplendent radiance, as well as its constancy and consistency. Despite all the meteorologic technology available to us, the moon remains the reliable measuring device for many religious dates and holidays. Muslims, Christians and Jews depend on the lunar calendar for accuracy. Why does Easter vary every year? Because it is related to the full moon. A female goddess in some ancient cultures, a male in others, the moon provides a wealth of attributes for earth's inhabitants. With India joining other previous launchers, it will yield more benefits from its atmosphere, more business opportunities and more scientific challenges. With the world economy practically coming crashing down from nowhere, moon exploration may well be one of the remedies of earthling's infirmities. Here men from the planet Earth, First set foot on the moon July 1969 AD We came in piece for all mankind (Plaque on the moon, marking the US landing)
