Ashley Hunter, ECB Publishing, Inc.
From Wednesday, July 18 until Friday, July 27, Monticello will have a very special guest: lunar rocks!
These rocks, which will be displayed within the Jefferson County Library will be visiting for a short time, compliments of NASA.
Between 1969 and 1972, NASA brought back 842 pounds of lunar rocks, samples, pebbles and soil.
These samples are stored at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, but occasionally are permitted to be sent out to researchers and educators around the country.
From July 18-27, Monticello will be able to get close to a little piece of our moon, thanks to Youth Librarian and Certified Lunar Handler, Courtney Nicolou.
In order for the rocks to be sent to a educational or research facility away from the Johnson Space Center, the facility must have a certified handler.
The rocks will be greeted into Monticello with a reception viewing on Wednesday, July 18. Every viewing of the lunar rocks must be RVSP'ed to, and in this case, the reception is already filled.
But outside of the reception, the lunar rocks will have public events on July 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, and 27.
If you are interested in signing up to view these out-of-this-world rocks, you will need to call or visit the R.J. Bailar Public Library and speak to Nicolou about signing up for the public viewings.
Groups that are interested in scheduling a time to see the rocks are encouraged to book a date as soon as possible, as there are no assurances that the library will be able to accommodate everyone.
During their stay in Monticello, the lunar rocks will be well-guarded by security.
The Jefferson County Library is located at 375 S. Water St., and can be reached by calling (850) 342-0205.
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