The Moon Hat — no ordinary hat
I am on a two night summer camping trip with a friend. He has a PhD in physics and designs chips for IBM — he’s a pretty bright bulb. As we relax at camp on the first night, we discuss the half moon hanging high in the early evening sky. I pose a question:
“Where will the Moon be tomorrow night?”
There are many possible answers to that question. The Moon could stay in the same place, it could move north or south or east or west.
The core of Science is making predictions and testing those predictions. So, I ask my friend to make a prediction.
The Moon moves toward the …
Most people understand that the Moon moves. They know that over 24 hours the Moon moves like other objects in the sky. They know that the Moon rises and sets. They know that the Moon has phases — that sometimes it is new and sometimes full. They know some of the other names for the Moon phases: crescent and quarter and gibbous. They might even know that the Moon is visible during the daytime.
But most people do not know the answer to this question:
“Where will the Moon be tomorrow night?”
My chip-making friend does not know. He considers the question; he reasons - logically, deftly. And then he guesses … that the Moon moves a little bit westward each day … but he is wrong.
My friend is educated, science-y, effortless in his work. But he lacks the experience of basic observational facts that any 19th century child would have known by heart: the Moon moves toward the dawn.
The Moon Hat makes it easy to follow the Moon every cycle.
The Moon may have made life possible on Earth
According to scientists, the Moon — with its stabilizing, tidal gravitational effects on the Earth — might have given rise to life. The Moon deserves our attention. The Moon is beautiful and the Moon is a gateway to science.
Observation +Insight + Prediction + Testing = Science.
Observations give us data. Ideas provide layers of meaning to tap. Tools augment our capability for insight and prediction. Testing takes time and stick-to-itiveness. We need to remember to be curious.
This is why I created the Moon Hat ← Click to learn more and buy. It’s a reminder to be curious. It’s a reminder to go outside and engage with the giant movements of the solar system and beyond. The Moon Hat is a reminder to do science every day.
Do Science With a New Hat
The Moon is sometimes visible during the day — did you know that already? The Moon Hat creates a model of the Earth, Moon, Sun geometry. It provides a gentle encouragement to go outside and look up. It is a fun and engaging platform for doing a basic form of science. The Moon Hat allows you to observe with insight, predict, and test (and it keeps your head warm).
My friend guessed the Moon’s motion wrong. But, he would certainly have known the Moon better if he had had the hat. You can get the Moon Hat here.
Science Clothing for you
Crisp and bright embroidered moon phases wrap a warm black fleece cap. The images create a precise 360˚ model of the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. It’s beautiful and functional — a clever melding of art and science.
The Moon Hat is the first hat with instructions sewn inside. You’ll always know the Moon phase names and their order.
I am doing everything I can to get this hat on thousands of heads this year.
Grab a Moon Hat for yourself or a loved one. They make great science gifts.
References
The Moon Hat is a tool for doing science that also keeps your head warm. Experience the large motions of the solar system through kinesthetic learning.
Daniel Cummings is the Founder of Star In A Star, LLC and the inventor of the Moon Hat. You can find more articles and a bio at https://starinastar.com
