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This feature is inspired by the questions we have received over the years from interested readers. If you have a question about an astronomical topic, please forward it to us. |
What does the word "Mira" mean?
The founders of the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy had a double play on words in mind when they decided to name their fledgling enterprise MIRA.
One allusion is to the star Omicron Ceti, the first to be established as a variable star. It is a long period variable, ranging in brightness from 9th magnitude or fainter to 3rd or 4th magnitude in a little less than a year. This remarkable behavior led the astronomer Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687) to name the star "Mira," meaning "Wonderful," from the Latin adjective mirus, "wonderful, marvelous, astonishing."
"¡Mira!" in Spanish (from the verb mirar) means "look!" and constitutes the other word-play the MIRA founders were making. The Spanish verb comes from the spoken Latin verb mirare ("to look attentively"), which is itself related to the adjective mirus. The connection between the two meanings ("wonderful" and "look") no doubt comes about because we tend to look at things that we find wonderful or astonishing. Stars, for example!
Incidentally, the two allusions lead to two possible English pronunciations of the acronym "MIRA." The MIRA astronomers tend to pronounce it "Myra," from the English pronunciation of the star's name, but "Meara" is just as good a way to say the word.
The end of spring saw a lot of MIRA star parties and other events, including Donna Dulo's Lyceum class "A Field Trip to the Moon" and a star party at the Tularcitos Elementary School in Carmel Valley, scenes from which are depicted on the cover.
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Thanks to Arthur Babcock, Jim Bartolini, Cary Colwell, Donna Dulo, Ben Hansen, Tamara Homan, Brian Jacobson, Tom Lougheed, Jim MacKenzie, Patrick Skinner, Rebecca Tait, and others for participating in these educational events.
MIRA volunteer Brian Jacobson shares a view of the Moon with a parent at MIRA's star party for the Tularcitos Elementary School in Carmel Valley.
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Last updated 12/15/02 DMC