In our age of technological progress, space is still one of the most exciting mysteries of this world. Therefore, this memorable date has been attracting the attention of people from different countries for a long time and occupies a special place in history.
Why is this holiday so important for Russia?
Cosmonautics Day is celebrated on April 12. This day was chosen for a reason: on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin performed the world's first orbital flight around the Earth. This event became a breakthrough in the study of extraterrestrial space, gave rise to its large-scale study, and the whole world learned about the world's first cosmonaut.
For countries, this memorable date is of greater importance than for residents of other countries, because their compatriot became the hero, whose name went down in history as the name of the first person who visited space. The first step towards the study of outer space was taken by the Soviet Union.
In addition, in the same year, German Titov, a Soviet cosmonaut, spent 1 day, 1 hour and 18 minutes outside the surface of the Earth - the first long flight in history. And two years later, the first and still the only woman who left the planet alone, the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, went to explore the stellar distances. In 1965, Alexei Leonov for the first time in the history of astronautics went into outer space and stayed there for 12 minutes and 9 seconds.
The history of the celebration of the Day of Cosmonautics
Until now, Cosmonautics Day and the history of the holiday remain significant for both adults and children - just as in 1962, when the delight after the feat accomplished by Gagarin had not yet subsided.
The Vostok-1 spacecraft with Yuri Gagarin was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome and completed one revolution around the planet Earth. After completing the flight at 108 minutes, he landed in the Saratov region, near the village of Smelovka, and the cosmonaut himself, at a distance of several kilometers from the Earth's surface, ejected and landed not far from the spacecraft.
In the Soviet Union, the Cosmonautics Day holiday was celebrated the next year after this event - April 12, 1962. On March 26, 1962, the second cosmonaut of the USSR, German Titov, addressed the Central Committee of the CPSU with a proposal to establish a memorable date on this day. The government supported this idea, and already the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 9, 1962 officially confirmed the appearance of this solemn date.
In the Russian Federation, this day is celebrated in accordance with the Federal Law of March 13, 1995 "On the days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia."
Holiday history in the world
In 1968, on the initiative of the Soviet Union, the General Conference of the International Aviation Federation made a decision to proclaim the Day of Cosmonautics as an international holiday, which was named "World Day of Aviation and Cosmonautics". It began to be celebrated in the USA and Europe.
On April 12, 2001, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the first manned space flight in the United States, the first Yuri's Night was held - an event aimed at increasing the interest of people (mainly young people) in exploring extraterrestrial space by creating a relaxed atmosphere … It consisted of a series of themed entertainment performances and a party where everyone could express their interest in space in a way that suits them.
Already in 2004, 34 states joined this festive event, and in 2011, on the 50th anniversary of the conquest of outer space, 567 events in 75 states were registered on the official website of St. George's Night.
Celebrating St. George's Night
In the same 2011The UN General Assembly has proclaimed April 12 the International Day of Human Space Flight. At first, the decision was supported by more than 60 countries, but in the following year the number of states that recognized this solemn date increased.
It can be concluded that on the Day of Cosmonautics, which is familiar to us, a number of other events are also celebrated abroad, dedicated to the first man who flew into space.
Holiday traditions
Astronauts, rocketry workers, scientists, military personnel, space technology testers, teachers of disciplines related to space studies, all those who work in the space industry, often take part in the events dedicated to this day.
The main events of the holiday take place in the capital. The Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow prepares special projects for Cosmonautics Day, and the Moscow Planetarium conducts excursions and tells about the history of the study of outer space. All over the country there are entertainment performances, thematic exhibitions and parties, scientific conferences, educational programs in museums and planetariums. Traditionally, demonstration launches of models of rockets assembled by young designers are held above the ground.
Homemade rocket dummies
Often on this day, balloons with space symbols are launched into the sky in memory of the feat performed by Yuri Gagarin.
On the occasion of Cosmonautics Day, schools and kindergartens host various events, open lessons and classroom hours dedicated to space. Schoolchildren and preschoolers make various crafts for contests organized by teachers and educators.
Read also:
- Selections of children's crafts for Cosmonautics Day
- Options for holiday scenarios for kindergarten and elementary school
"St. George's Night"
Traditionally, on April 12, St. George's Night is held around the world. The reason for its holding is both the first flight of Yuri Gagarin into space, and the launch of the first American shuttle - a reusable transport spacecraft.
The peculiarity of this event is that it combines the educational part and fun. As part of St. George's Night, space-style parties are held, screenings of films on space themes in cinemas (or local universities), themed music concerts, evening gatherings in the open air or in a bar, etc. There are no restrictions on holding the event. Anyone can spend "St. George's Night", having previously registered the event on the official website.
George's Night was organized by NASA astrobiologist Loretta Hidalgo and her husband George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic. Lorreta Hidalgo writes on the official website of the event that their goal is to involve young people in science and show them that you can love space without having a degree.
In Russia, despite the fact that this country became the birthplace of the Cosmonautics Day, "St. George's Nights" are held relatively infrequently. In 2011-2014, the celebration took place in Krasnoyarsk: it all began with lectures and quizzes on the topic of space, and ended with parties in a bar with a special “space menu”. In 2018, only four "Yuryev's Nights" were held: two in Novosibirsk, one in Perm and one in Gagarin of the Smolensk region - in the homeland of Yuri Gagarin.
Interesting Facts
- Before Gagarin, three dogs visited space: Laika, who died due to an error in the construction of the Sputnik-2 apparatus, and the familiar Belka and Strelka.
- The first animals to fly around the moon were turtles. This happened in 1968 on the Soviet ship "Zond-4".
- On April 12, 1981, exactly 20 years after Gagarin's flight into space, the American space shuttle Columbia made its first manned flight.
- Information about the first manned flight into space did not appear anywhere until the flight itself, and photographs of this event presumably do not exist.The shots familiar to everyone were taken later, when Yuri Gagarin repeated all his actions for the newsreel.
- Gagarin flew into space as a senior lieutenant, but NS Khrushchev achieved his promotion to the rank of major even before his arrival on Earth.
- The landing of Vostok-1 was planned in Kazakhstan, but due to an error it happened near the village of Smelovka.
- Yuri Gagarin died on March 27, 1968 in a plane crash on a MiG-15UTI aircraft during a training flight under the direction of V.S. The exact cause of the plane's crash is still unknown.
- On the back surface of the Moon, there is a crater named after Yuri Gagarin.
- Russian cosmonauts have a tradition: before leaving, they watch the film "White Sun of the Desert". Using his example, they are explained how to properly work with the camera.
This holiday is dedicated not only to Yuri Gagarin - it is dedicated to all those who work on the study of space distances, theorists and practitioners, scientists and engineers. People of these professions are slowly but surely bringing humanity closer to comprehending all the secrets of the Universe.
