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( Originally written on blogspot on Sunday December 7, 2008 )

A key issue faced by the parents of mentally retarded children is the absence of medication or relief. Roughly estimated to be about 2 to 3 per centum of population, mentally retarded children show signs of retardation at much early age. For the parents such children cause much anxiety. They need to be given special guidance in the way they could conduct themselves in social skills and learning. Most of these children cannot lead normal lives without aid and assistance. Though it is no longer a social stigma, mentally retarded children often feel that they are neglected. Special care by professionals along with cosmics could bring sought after relief to these children. In this regard, the heaven sent boon is the Geminids meteor shower that takes place during December, the season of gifts and care. Let me explain to you about the Meteor showers and how best you can make use of these.

1. Meteors

You have heard about meteor showers or shooting stars or falling stars. There are millions of these shooting stars seen throughout the year. Most of the showers are named after the constellation they originate from. Perseids for example has its name from Perseus constellation; Leonids and Orionids take their names from Leo and Orion constellations respectively. When you look at the night sky generally after mid-night you will observe streaks of light flicking away in the sky for a second or two. What you see is not a physical matter, because most of these meteors are so small to be seen from the earth, but the atmospheric reaction when these fast moving meteors hit at the earth’s atmosphere resulting in a friction between the air molecules and the surface of the meteor. So you see the burning of the gaseous particles in glowing colour.

This is how the meteors begin. Usually comets pass through the Sun in their orbit and when they get closer to the Sun, they shed parts of their matter. These are known as Meteoroids which travel alone or in a group in the vast expanse of the space. When some of these meteoroids enter into the earth’s orbit we call them Meteors to distinguish from the earlier ones. Most of these meteors burn out as shooting stars. But some of these are large enough to breakthrough and finally hit at the surface of earth, thence these are referred to as Meteorites.

2. Geminids

First discovered in 1862, Geminids stream has its radiant or origin from the Gemini constellation. The stream builds up slowly and peaks for couple of days and then peters out. It begins on December 8 when you see one or two shooting stars per hour. On December 13 & 14 you can observe about 120 shooting stars per hour. As it tails off you see about 2 falling stars per hour. These shooting stars slam at 25 miles per second and offer a magnificent vista to look at in the early hours between 1 to 5 a.m.

3. Cosmics of Geminids

The Geminids stream, unique on several counts has much cosmic relevance to children, especially to the ones who are handicapped:

1. Unlike in the case of all other meteor showers, Geminids do not originate from the debris of a comet, bur from the splinters of an Asteroid. The parent of the Geminids was identified in 1983 and named as “3200 Phaethon”. Incidentally, the parent asteroid is credited with a rare honour. It orbits the Sun and gets too close for comfort, resulting in the fascinating Geminids stream

2. Both planet Jupiter and our Moon have cosmic influence over this Asteroid.

3. During the peak of the shower in December 2008, the Moon is in Taurus constellation belonging to Venus and Jupiter is in its own Sagittarius constellation. The Geminids emanate orange and yellow colour shooting stars, considered to be most auspicious for the children

4. Geminids bring in energy that stimulate mental faculty. Those children who are under the age of 16 would benefit immensely.

4. Viewing

If you can stand the December cold, snow and perhaps the snippy air you can view the celestial phenomenon or December 13 & 14, between 1 00 a.m. to 5.00 a.m. local time.

a) Northern Hemisphere: Look towards East and almost over-head; Mark Betelgeuse a red giant star in the Orion constellation (alpha Orion Right Ascension 5.9 hour and Declination 7 degree North); from there turn your eyes towards the North-East. You will see Castor, a white star in the Gemini constellation (alpha Gemini Right Ascension 7.6 hour and Declination 33 degree North). Just above the Castor you will see the falling stars.

b) Southern Hemisphere: Look towards West and to the Horizon; Mark Betelgeuse; from there turn your eyes towards the North-west. You will see Castor and just above the shooting stars.

5. Useful Hints

a) It is necessary to protect mentally retarded children from the cold, snow and the wind

b) Staying in open and flat place is recommended

c) Provide comfortable seating arrangements

d) Children should be accompanied with the adults and not left alone

e) Viewing the Geminids stream by naked eye is recommended

6. Harnessing Energy

One of the recommendations given for the care of mentally retarded children is to take them along for a walk or an excursion or to while away their time away from home. You can add little adventure too. What best adventure than looking at the mid-night sky in December with the cool air snipping you and the delight of looking at those orange and yellow steaks falling all over these children. Not only that, the Geminids stream will give these children pleasure and a bit of panacea. So go and harness the energy while you can have it. However, depending on particulars of date, time and place of birth of the children, harnessing of the cosmic Geminids energy would require different colour of attire and accessories such as metals to be worn with.

You can contact me via E-mail:cosmicgems@gmail.com or Webpage http://www.cosmicgemslanka.com

Muthu Ashraff

Cosmic Adviser