New Jersey lunar sample displays facts for kids
The New Jersey lunar sample displays are two special gifts given to the people of New Jersey. These gifts are small pieces of Moon rocks brought back by astronauts from the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 missions. United States President Richard Nixon gave these gifts in the 1970s.
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What Are These Displays?
Apollo 11 Display
The Apollo 11 display for New Jersey is a small wooden stand. It holds four tiny pieces of Moon rock. These "Moon chips" are about the size of a grain of rice. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin collected them in 1969.
The four Moon chips weigh very little, about 0.05 grams in total. They are sealed inside a clear plastic bubble, like a coin. This bubble is attached to a wooden board, which is about one foot square. The display also has a small New Jersey state flag. This flag actually traveled to the Moon and back!
President Richard Nixon gave this display as a gift to New Jersey. Similar Moon rock displays were given to all other US states. They were also given to many countries around the world. New Jersey was one of the last states to get its Apollo 11 display.
Apollo 17 Display
The Apollo 17 display for New Jersey is a plaque that measures about 10 by 14 inches. It has one piece of Moon rock. This rock was cut from a larger Moon rock called lunar basalt 70017. Astronaut Harrison Schmitt collected this rock on the Moon in 1972.
After the basalt 70017 rock came back to Earth, it was cut into small pieces. The piece in the New Jersey display weighs about 1 gram. It is sealed in a plastic ball. This ball is mounted on a wooden plaque. Just like the Apollo 11 display, this plaque also has a New Jersey state flag. This flag also traveled to the Moon and back with the Apollo 17 crew.
President Richard Nixon gave this plaque to New Jersey in 1973. He gave similar gifts to the other 49 states. These gifts were meant to show friendship and promote peace.
Where Are They Now?
In March 1976, NASA astronaut Paul J. Weitz visited Trenton, New Jersey. He personally presented the Apollo 17 display to state officials. Governor Brendan Byrne was not there, so others accepted it for him. The display had a small yellow New Jersey flag and a label. The label explained that the Moon rock came from the Taurus–Littrow lunar valley.
The Governor's office wanted the display to be shown to the public. However, this never happened. Weitz later said that these displays were meant for everyone to see. They were not supposed to be hidden away. Sadly, the Apollo 17 display with its Moon rock was misplaced by the state. As of 2012, no one knows where it is.
The Apollo 11 display is currently at the New Jersey State Museum. David Parris, a museum curator, has been there since 1971. He said that if the Apollo 17 display had come to the museum, he would definitely know.
Images for kids
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The Apollo 11 display at the New Jersey State Museum.
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Another view of the Apollo 11 display.
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A close-up of the Moon rocks in the Apollo 11 display.
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Another close-up of the Moon rocks.
