New York lunar sample displays facts for kids
The New York Moon Rock Displays are two special plaques. They hold tiny pieces of Moon rocks brought back by the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 missions. In the 1970s, U.S. President Richard Nixon gave these plaques to the people of New York State as gifts of friendship.
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What Are These Moon Rock Displays?
The Apollo 11 Moon Rock Display
The New York Apollo 11 Moon rock display is a special plaque shaped like a small podium. It holds four tiny pieces of Moon rock, about the size of rice grains. These rocks were collected by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.
The display also includes a small New York state flag. This flag actually traveled to the Moon and back with the Apollo 11 crew! The four Moon rock pieces weigh about 0.05 grams in total. They are sealed inside a clear plastic button, like a coin. This button is attached to a wooden board, about one foot square. President Richard Nixon gave this display to New York. Similar Moon rock displays were given to all other U.S. states and many countries around the world.
The Apollo 17 Moon Rock Display
The New York Apollo 17 Moon rock display is a plaque that measures about 10 by 14 inches. It holds one small piece of Moon rock. This rock was cut from a larger Moon rock called lunar basalt 70017. Astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan collected this basalt during their last Moonwalk on the Apollo 17 mission.
After the basalt 70017 was brought back to Earth, it was cut into small pieces, each weighing about 1 gram. The New York piece was placed inside a plastic ball. This ball was then attached to a wooden plaque. The plaque also has a New York state flag that traveled to the Moon and back with the Apollo 17 crew. President Richard Nixon gave this plaque to New York in 1973. He also gave similar plaques to the other 49 states. These gifts were meant to promote peace and friendship.
Where Are New York's Moon Rocks Now?
The New York Apollo 17 Moon rock display is currently kept in a secure storage area at the New York State Museum. The small plastic ball with the Moon rock inside is no longer attached to its original wooden plaque. It's not known why the ball separated from the display.
This Moon rock is not currently on public display. The museum keeps it in a high-security vault. This is because the Moon rock is considered very valuable. Some people believe it could be worth as much as $10 million. The museum decided to remove the Apollo 17 display from public viewing due to safety concerns. This decision was made after a similar Moon rock display was taken from Malta in 2004.
The location of the New York Apollo 11 Moon rock display is currently unknown. The website collectSpace tracks the locations of Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 displays. However, as of 2012, they have no record of where the New York Apollo 11 display is. The New York State Museum also does not know its whereabouts.
