About Adrian Bruno Sonka’s Patriotic Astronomy
By Andrei Dorian Gheorghe
- Published: Monday, March 16 2020 22:38
The Bucharest Municipal Observatory (named after he who created it in 1910, Admiral Vasile Urseanu) was recently renovated (2014-2016) and redecorated by its team (coordinator Adrian Bruno Sonka, artist astronomer Elisabeta Petrescu and telescope specialist Mihai Dascalu).
Those who visit the Hall of the Planets can see a special chapter, “Asteroids with Romanian Names”, made by Adrian Bruno Sonka.
That chapter seems to be not just a simple astronomical presentation, but also a technical astro-art-essay with a poetic personification in the last part, which arouses the patriotic feelings of the visitors:
“Astronomers have rules regarding the denomination of the asteroids.
As recognition for certain results, the name of a person can be given to an asteroid, the only names that are not accepted are those of politicians, military and religious figures.
Names of cities, countries and relief figures are also used. (…)
The orbits of the asteroids with Romanian names are shown in our illustration, but because there are too many, they are hard to follow and we could not draw them all. (…)
Some of these asteroid-people were also active through the rooms where you walk now.”
-Adrian Bruno Sonka (translation from Romanian by Andrei Dorian Gheorghe)
Conclusion:
Asteroid-man or man-asteroid -
Contribution to a better void.
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-
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