03.05.2018 08:00
Ukrinform
Today is World Press Freedom Day.
The day has been celebrated since 1993, on the initiative of the General Conference of UNESCO with the support of the UN General Assembly. It was on May 3, 1991, in the capital of Namibia, that the “Windhoek Declaration” was signed, which called on governments around the world to ensure freedom of the press and its democratic character.
The main celebrations, jointly organized by UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Ghana, will take place in Accra (Republic of Ghana) on 2-3 May 2018. This year's global theme of the celebration is “Keeping Power in Control: Media, Justice and the Rule of Law.” The topic is devoted to media issues and transparency of the political process, independence and media literacy of the judiciary, as well as the accountability of government bodies to members of the public. At the same time, contemporary problems of ensuring press freedom on the Internet will be considered.
In addition, a few days before World Press Freedom Day, the American public organization Freedom House publishes an annual report on press freedom - one of the most authoritative reports on the state of the press in the world. Freedom House is the largest public organization in the United States engaged in research in the field of democracy, political freedoms and human rights. It has been in existence since 1941 and produces regular reports on the state of press and Internet freedom, as well as the state of civil rights and liberties around the world. Press freedom is assessed using 100 criteria in three main categories: legal, economic and political. The more points a country scores in each category, the less free its media is considered. This year Ukraine took 101st place (last year it was 102). The top five included Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and Switzerland. Russia, as last year, ranks 148th, and North Korea closes the list.
Anniversaries of the day:
121 year since birth Januariy Demyanovich Bortnik (1897-1938), Ukrainian director and actor, founder of the first professional theater of small forms in Ukraine “Merry Proletary”. Husband of actress Anna Babiivna. Born in Ternopil region. He studied at the Ukrainian gymnasium. He was fond of music and did not miss a single performance of the traveling Lviv theater of the Russian Conversation society. When young Les Kurbas, with the permission of the military authorities, organized “Ternopil Theater Evenings,” Bortnyk immediately entered there. He sang in the choir, participated in crowd scenes and ballet. In 1918-1920 he played in theaters in Ternopil and Vinnitsa. In the fall of 1921, when Les Kurbas became a director at the Kiev Theater. T.G. Shevchenko, Bortnik becomes the director of the Belotserkovskaya Drama Studio, which on January 27, 1923 was reorganized into the 3rd workshop of the Berezil Theater. Among the director's productions of Bortnik 1924, “Haydamaky” based on Taras Shevchenko, “Jimmy Higgins” by Sinclair, “What the sawdust rustled about...” by Spiridon Cherkasenko stood out. In March 1923, in Kyiv, at the Berezil Art Association, the first school of directors in Ukraine was founded, three courses of which Bortnik completed without leaving the theater. In 1925, Bortnik the director reached creative maturity. In May 1927, the Berezil Theater moved to Kharkov. On the Kharkov stage, Bortnik staged “The Captivity of the Apple Tree” by Ivan Dneprovsky and “The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa” by Friedrich Schiller. In 1927, under the auspices of “Berezol”, the small-form theater “Merry Proletary” was created in Kharkov, which January Bortnik headed until 1930. From 1931 to 1933, on the stage of the Kharkov First State Musical Comedy, he staged “The Self-Proclaimed Prince,” “The Chocolate Warrior, or Man and Weapons” (he redid the libretto), “Natalka-Poltavka,” “Prohibition,” and “The Violets of Montmartre.” He worked a lot on himself, gave practical lectures to studio students and became an experienced director. When the question arose about opening a Ukrainian musical comedy theater, they settled only on the candidacy of Bortnyk as the chief director, and he successfully coped with this task. In 1934-1936. Bortnik - director of the Dnepropetrovsk Theater. T. Shevchenko, and completed his work at the Kharkov Theater of Revolution. In 1938, the director was arrested and soon shot. Soviet ideologists wanted that no trace or sign remained of the Kurbasov theater. Of course, the scale of Bortnyk’s talent was somewhat different from that of Kurbas, but the fact that he was a very original Ukrainian director is a fact.
120 years since birth Goldy Meir (Mabovich; 1898-1978), Israeli political and statesman. Prime Minister of Israel (1969-1974). It was Golda Meir, and not Margaret Thatcher, who was first called the “Iron Lady” - this “nickname-title” later firmly stuck to the British prime minister. Golda was born in Kyiv in the family of a carpenter. Golda Meir's grandfather was a Nikolaev soldier who served in the tsarist army for 25 years. For the first 8 years she lived in Kyiv. “I remember poverty, cold, hunger and fear, there was never enough of anything - no food, no warm clothes, no firewood, and porridge was a real luxury for us...” recalled Golda Meir. In 1906, fleeing Jewish pogroms, the family emigrated to the United States, and in 1912 to Palestine. Golda Meir dedicated her entire life to the fight for Jewish rights. She was a very wise and far-sighted politician. If this were not so, then there would be no state of Israel in the world. Or, if we put aside categoricalness, there would be a completely different Israel. Golda Meir can be quoted for quite a long time - her interviews and speeches are peppered with precise and sharp phrases like pearls. There are no “pretty things” there, but there is a harsh statement of fact, or conclusions drawn on the basis of one’s own rich experience: “There is no difference between killing a person and making a decision as a result of which others will kill this person. This is exactly the same, if not worse... A political leader who does not hesitate to throw his people into war has no right to be a leader.” On Jewish pessimism: “Pessimism is a luxury that Jews cannot afford...” Finally, on the prospects for ending the war in the Middle East: “Peace in the Middle East will come when the Arabs love their children more than they hate the Jews.” .
Death anniversary:
94 years from the date of death Nikolai Ivanovich Mikhnovsky (1873-1924), Ukrainian public and political figure, lawyer, publicist. Ideologist of state independence of Ukraine, founder and first ideologist of Ukrainian nationalism. Mikhnovsky was the first in the Dnieper region to raise the issue of political independence of Ukraine. All his work was aimed at awakening the national consciousness of Ukrainians. Mikhnovsky's programs 1900-1906 provided for the creation of an independent Ukrainian state (“one, united, indivisible, independent, free, democratic Ukraine - “working people” - from the Carpathian to the Caucasian mountains”). It was about the establishment of a presidential republic, the provision of social guarantees for the general population, the transfer of land into the ownership of peasants, etc. During the period of the Central Rada and the Directory, the UPR was determined to take radical measures to create an independent state based on military force in order to stop the growth of anarchy , to stabilize the economic and political situation in the country, which was not accepted by the leadership of the UPR. IN last years During his life, Nikolai Mikhnovsky was seriously ill, first lived in the Poltava region, and later went to Novorossiysk; tried to evacuate by sea together with Denikin’s troops, but was refused, citing the fact that he was “a well-known irreconcilable enemy of Russia.” (Whites did not differ from Reds in their attitude towards Ukrainians: for both, there were only “Little Russians”, who, of course, did not dare to dream of their own state, but had to obey their “elder” brother in everything.) After In addition, Mikhnovsky lived for two years in the village of Poltavskaya in the Kuban. In 1924 he returned to Kyiv, where he was arrested by the GPU, interrogated, but soon released. By that time, a new - Soviet - government had been in control of Ukraine for two years. Mikhnovsky, who spent more than 30 years fighting for the independence of Ukraine, found it painful to watch what was happening around him. The new reality made a depressing impression on him. On May 3, 1924, he was found hanged in the garden. Many thought that this was the work of the GPU, but the son of Vladimir Shemet (a well-known public figure, it was in his garden that the tragedy occurred) recalled that his father found a note in the pocket of the deceased with the following content: “I prefer to die my own death! Turn this way and turn there, there’s still death in the shard, as the saying goes. Say my greetings to those who remember me. Your Nikolai." Sergei Shemet (brother of Vladimir Shemet) said the following about Mikhnovsky: “He had a big heart. Such a fire of love for Ukraine burned in him; in another country he would have ignited millions of hearts with the desire for patriotic feat, but among our intelligentsia only a few were ignited by this fire. His greatest merit was giving great creative scope to Ukrainian national feelings. He kindled his little love for songs and embroidered shirts into the flame of a great love for Ukraine.”
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Holidays and events in May.
Today is May 3rd. Holidays and Events:
World Press Freedom Day has been celebrated annually since 1992 on the initiative of representatives of the independent press in African countries, approved by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The date May 3 was not chosen by chance. It was on this day in 1991, in the capital of Namibia, that representatives of the independent press of African countries adopted the “Windhoek Declaration,” which called on the governments of the world to ensure freedom of the press and its democratic character. The declaration emphasized that a free, pluralistic and independent press is an essential component of any democratic society. In 1993, the UN General Assembly decided to proclaim May 3 as World Press Day.
The main event of the celebrations is the presentation of the UNESCO World Prize for Contribution to a Free Press named after Guillermo Cano, a Colombian journalist who died in 1986. The award was established in 1997 and is awarded to individuals, organizations or institutions.
On Press Freedom Day, journalists who died in the performance of their professional duties are remembered. In memory of Russian journalists who gave their lives in the name of freedom of speech, the editors of various media outlets established awards.
Since ancient times, holidays have been organized in honor of the sun, so in Rus' it is Maslenitsa, the Day of the Summer Solstice, the Spring Equinox: songs and spells were sung in honor of the Sun, people rejoiced, games were organized. And none of this has anything to do with International Day Sun, which since 1994 annually organizes the European branch of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES-Europe) on May 3. To commemorate this day, more than 14 countries are already holding open days of solar and energy efficient houses, both experimental and private, which allows one to verify the reality and usefulness of completed and ongoing projects, open days of research and design institutes, which allows the general public to get acquainted with the latest achievements in the use of solar energy, solar car runs, and many other events whose purpose is to draw attention to the possibility of using renewable energy sources.
It's wonderful that such a day exists!
1101 - Prince Vladimir Monomakh founded the Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk, in which the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God was placed.
1494 - Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus discovered Jamaica.
1791 - the Sejm in Warsaw adopted the first written constitution in Europe and the second after the American one - the constitution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
1802 - University of Dorpat opened.
1808 - during the Russian-Swedish war (1808-1809), Russian troops occupied the Swedish fortress of Sveaborg.
1815 - The Kingdom of Poland was formed, which, according to the decisions of the Congress of Vienna, became part of the Russian Empire.
1841 - New Zealand is declared a British colony.
1867 - three years after the adoption of the first Geneva Convention in Russia, the Red Cross Society was founded.
1902 - Pepsi-Cola and Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing companies were created in the United States.
1904 - American inventor George Parker patented his first writing pen.
1906 - Nicholas II declared Russian, Finnish and Swedish official languages in Finland.
- Türkiye renounced its claims to the Sinai Peninsula, recognizing it as Egyptian territory.
1907 - military courts were abolished in Russia.
1919 - last meeting of the government of the Bavarian Soviet Republic.
1922 - Women are given the right to vote in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
1932 - first flight of the MBR-2 flying boat by G. M. Beriev.
1933 - The procedure for taking the oath of allegiance to the British Crown is excluded from the constitution of the Irish Free State. Appeal to the Privy Council is recognized as an illegal act.
1937 - Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind wins the Pulitzer Prize.
1943 - In Great Britain, part-time work was established for all women aged 18 to 45 years.
1947 - A new constitution was introduced in Japan, approved by parliament, the emperor and the people, who expressed their opinion in a referendum (for the first time, women have equal voting rights). The constitution limited the power of the emperor and approved the refusal to use military force in resolving international disputes.
1951 - British King George VI opened the Festival of Britain.
1953 - the radio station Deutsche Welle went on air in Germany.
1957 - Resolution on the transformation of collective farms into state farms.
1957 - return of the Karachay people to their homeland.
1958 - American President Eisenhower (Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower) proposed the demilitarization of Antarctica, which was subsequently accepted by interested countries.
1960 - The European Free Trade Association Agreement came into force. Since July, member countries have reduced customs duties on mutual supplies by 20 percent.
1966 - The London Times newspaper began publishing in a new format with news on the front page.
1982 - Israeli Prime Minister Begin announced that his country would extend its sovereignty to the occupied territories in the West Bank.
1988 - The memoirs of Donald Regan, former chief of staff to President Reagan, were published in the United States, in which he reported that Reagan set dates for important meetings and decisions in accordance with information he received from his wife's astrologer.
1991 - The Windhoek Declaration was signed in the capital of Namibia, calling on governments around the world to ensure freedom of the press and its democratic character. Celebrated by UNESCO as World Press Freedom Day.
1999 - A devastating hurricane devastated the southeastern part of Oklahoma City and many suburbs. 36 people died. Material damage amounted to more than a billion dollars.
2000 - The London and Frankfurt exchanges announced a merger to create the world's largest stock exchange with approximately $4 trillion in equities.
2001 - George W. Bush's wife is included in the list of the 50 most beautiful people in America.
2003 - Mongolia celebrated the birthday of the great commander of antiquity, the founder of the unified Mongolian state, Genghis Khan. In honor of this event, the premiere of the opera “Chinkhis Khan” took place at the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater of Ulaanbaatar.
2004 - The guitar riff in the song "Sweet Child O'Mine" by Guns N'Roses is recognized as the best rock riff of all time. The list of the top 100 guitar riffs was compiled based on the results of a survey conducted by the music magazine Total Guitar. Second place in the ranking was taken by the group “Nirvana” with the song “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. Third place went to the song “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. More than two thousand readers of the magazine took part in the survey.
- The new Internet worm “Sasser”, which infected hundreds of thousands of personal computers around the world.
- Separate Protestant churches that existed in the Netherlands for hundreds of years united into the Protestant Church of the Netherlands, which included two million 500 thousand believers. Negotiations on the unification of Protestant Churches in the Netherlands lasted 40 years.
- Following the results of trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, June futures quotes increased by 83 cents and reached a 13-year high of $38.21 per barrel.
2009 - The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that the birthplace of the tanks, Great Britain, was stopping producing them.
BIRTHDAYS
Marcel Dupre- French composer, pianist and organist.
Dates of life: May 03, 1886 – May 30, 1971.
Virgil Fox- American prodigy performer.
Dates of life: May 3, 1912 – October 25, 1980.
Leopold Simoneau– French-Canadian opera singer (lyric tenor).
Dates of life: May 03, 1918 – August 24, 2006.
Pete Seeger- American folk singer, composer and social activist.
Dates of life: May 03, 1919 – January 27, 2014.
John Aaron Lewis- American jazz pianist and composer, music director Modern Jazz Quartet.
Dates of life: May 3, 1920 – March 29, 2001.
Dave Dudley- American country singer and his type - road country.
Dates of life: May 3, 1928 – December 22, 2003.
James Joseph Brown Jr.- American singer.
Dates of life: May 03, 1933 – December 25, 2006.
Frankie Valli(Frank Castelluccio) - American pop singer.
Date of birth: May 03, 1934.
Jonathan Harvey- British composer.
Dates of life: May 03, 1939 – December 04, 2012.
Conrad "Connie" Planck is a German record producer and musician.
Dates of life: May 3, 1940 – December 18, 1987.
Jake Hooker- guitarist and saxophonist of the British band Arrows.
Date of birth: May 03, 1952.
Bruce Hall– bass guitarist of the American rock band REO Speedwagon.
Date of birth: May 03, 1953.
David James Ball– English producer, electronic musician and member of the band Soft Cell.
Date of birth: May 03, 1959.
Yuri Naumov- Russian guitarist, composer and poet, creator of the group “Prohodnoy Dvor”.
Date of birth: May 03, 1962.
Andre Olbrich– German musician, lead guitarist of the band Blind Guardian.
Date of birth: May 03, 1967.
Josie Scott– American vocalist, member of the band Saliva.
Date of birth: May 03, 1971.
Paul Banks- American singer, vocalist of the group Interpol.
Date of birth: May 03, 1978.
Farrah Franklin- American singer, former member of Destiny's Child.
Date of birth: May 03, 1981.
REMEMBRANCE DAYS
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber- German violinist and composer.
Dates of life: August 12, 1644 – May 3, 1704.
Ferdinando Paer- Italian composer of Austrian origin.
Dates of life: June 01, 1771 – May 03, 1839.
Adolphe Charles Adam(Adam) is a French composer, author of operas and ballets.
Dates of life: July 24, 1803 – May 3, 1856.
Evgeniy Svetlanov- Russian conductor, pianist and composer. He belonged to the number of brilliant creators of the 20th century.
Dates of life: September 06, 1928 – May 03, 2002.
(Yolanda Cristina Gigliotti) is a French singer and actress.
Dates of life: January 17, 1933 – May 03, 1987.
Alemdar Karamanov- Ukrainian composer.
Dates of life: September 10, 1934 – May 03, 2007.
Billy Higgins- American drummer.
Dates of life: October 11, 1936 – May 03, 2001.
May 1, 2018 - Spring and Labor Day. The first of May, the day of international workers' solidarity, has been celebrated in the Russian Empire since 1890. Russian Federation celebrated as the Spring and Labor Festival;
May 2, 2018- 115 years since the birth of Benjamin Spock, American scientist, doctor, teacher (1903–1998);
May 3, 2018- World Press Freedom Day. Celebrated by UNESCO since 1991;
May 5, 2018 - 200 years since the birth of Karl Marx, the German thinker and public figure (1818–1883);
May 5, 2018 - 100 years since the birth of A.M. Obukhov, Russian geophysicist, mathematician, mechanics, academician (1918–1989);
May 5, 2018 - 90 years since the birth of A.S. Ivanov, modern Russian writer (1928–1999);
May 6, 2018 - 260 years since the birth of M. Robespierre, a leader of the Great French Revolution (1758–1794);
May 6, 2018 - 160 years since the birth of A.S. Stepanov, Russian painter (1858–1923);
May 6, 2018 - 110 years since the birth of N.F. Gastello, Russian pilot, Hero Soviet Union (1908 – 1941);
May 6, 2018 - 100 years since the birth of M.N. Alekseev, modern Russian writer (1918–2007);
May 6, 2018 - 95 years since the birth of V.A. Etush, Russian actor, teacher (1923);
May 6, 2018 - 85 years since the birth of V.Ya. Lakshin, Russian literary critic, writer (1933–1993);
May 7, 2018 - 185 years since the birth of J. Brahms, German composer (1833–1897);
May 7, 2018 - 115 years since the birth of N.A. Zabolotsky, Russian poet (1903–1958);
May 8, 2018 - 350 years since the birth of Alain René Lesage (1668–1747), French writer;
May 8, 2018 - 115 years since the birth of Fernandel (1903–1971), French film actor;
May 8-9, 2018 - Days of Remembrance and Reconciliation, dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Second World War;
May 9, 2018 - Victory Day of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945);
May 10, 2018 - 160 years since the birth of I. A. Shlyapkin (1858–1918), Russian historian, bibliophile;
May 12, 2018 - 85 years since the birth of A.A. Voznesensky (1933–2010), modern Russian poet;
May 14, 2018 - 130 years since the birth of N.M. Strelnikov (1888–1939), Russian composer;
May 14, 2018 - 95 years since the birth of T.V. Likhotal (1923–2010), modern Russian writer;
May 14, 2018 - 90 years since the birth of S.L. Prokofieva (1928), children's writer;
May 15, 2018 - International Day of Families, established by the UN General Assembly in 1993;
May 15, 2018 - 170 years since the birth of V.M. Vasnetsov (1848–1926), Russian painter;
May 17, 2018 - 145 years since the birth of Henri Barbusse (1873–1935), French writer and public figure;
May 18, 2018 - 150 years since the birth of Nicholas II (1868–1918), Russian Emperor;
May 19, 2018 - 135 years since the birth of A.S. Zernova (1883–1964), Russian bibliologist, bibliographer;
May 19, 2018 - 130 years since the birth of V.M. Konashevich (1888–1963), illustrator;
May 19, 2018 - 115 years since the birth of N.M. Romadin (1903–1987), Russian painter;
May 21, 2018 - Polar Explorer Day (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin No. 502 dated May 21, 2013 “On Polar Explorer Day” in recognition of the merits of people in this profession);
May 21, 2018 - World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development;
May 22, 2018 - International Day of Biological Diversity (celebrated since 2001);
May 22, 2018 - 205 years since the birth of Richard Wagner (1813–1883), German composer, conductor;
May 22, 2018 - 105 years since the birth of N.V. Bogoslovsky (1913 – 2004), Russian composer;
May 22, 2018 - 115 years since the birth of B.M. Vula (1903–1985), Russian physicist, academician;
May 24, 2018 - International Day of Nature Reserves / initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature /;
May 24, 2018 - Personnel Officer Day /celebrated in Russia since 2005 on the initiative of the All-Russian Personnel Congress/ (unofficial holiday);
May 25, 2018 - 215th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), American philosopher;
May 25, 2018 - 215 years since the birth of Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (1803–1873), English novelist, playwright;
May 26, 2018 - 80 years since the birth of L.S. Petrushevskaya (1938), Russian writer;
May 26, 2018 - 110 years since the birth of A.N. Arbuzov (1908–1986), modern Russian playwright;
May 26, 2018 - 190 years since the birth of B.N. Chicherin (1828–1904), Russian philosopher, sociologist, historian and lawyer;
May 27, 2018 - 115 years since the birth of E.A. Blaginina (1903–1989), children's poetess;
May 27, 2018 - European Neighborhood Day. The holiday was founded in 2000 in Paris, which is celebrated annually on the last Friday of May;
May 27, 2018 - All-Russian Library Day. Established in 1995 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation;
May 29, 2018 - 65 years since the birth of A.G. Abdulov (1953–2008), Russian actor;
May 31, 2018 - 280 years since the birth of M.F. Kazakov (1738–1812), Russian architect;
May 31, 2018 - 85 years since the birth of G.I. Burkov (1933–1990), Russian actor;
The Sun Day holiday is celebrated annually around the world on May 3. The Sun is the closest star to Earth; all the others are located at a greater distance from our planet. The Earth, as we know, revolves around the Sun. We need the sun; without its light we could not live.The sun is the most powerful source of cosmic energy for our planet. It gives us light and warmth, which are necessary not only for people, but also for plants and animals. It should be noted that without the sun we would not have air and water. After all, then the air would turn into a liquid nitrogen ocean, all the waters would freeze, and the land would become icy. Our planet arose near the sun and life on it also arose largely thanks to it. The sun provides people with renewable energy that is easy to use. In addition, such energy does not generate toxic or radioactive waste.
History of the holiday "Day of the Sun"
The European branch of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) decided to create this holiday in 1994. This was done to attract public attention to the possibilities of using renewable energy sources.
On this day, various types of events are organized throughout Europe that are aimed at demonstrating the capabilities of solar energy.
It is very important that by taking part of the solar energy, we do not introduce serious changes to the energy balance of the planet. Recently, the use of solar energy has become increasingly popular. This is due to the rise in prices of other types of energy. Today, a large number of different products powered by solar batteries are produced. After all, this type of energy is cheap and environmentally friendly, avoiding the extraction and combustion of poisonous fuel.
The Day of the Sun promotes the dissemination of information and the exchange of experiences between different countries and cities.
Traditions for the holiday "Day of the Sun"
On May 3, International Sun Day, various events take place. Open days are organized in experimental and private solar and energy-efficient houses, as well as research and design institutes. Visiting them gives the public the opportunity to get acquainted with ongoing projects and the latest scientific achievements.
Exhibitions and meetings, competitions, competitions, solar car and electric vehicle runs are held.
The round tables discuss the technical, economic and social aspects of solar energy.
A week before or after the Day of the Sun, “solar week” seminars are held. As part of the celebration of this day, competitions for school projects and drawings on this topic are also organized. About 14 countries participate in the program of this holiday every year.
Sun: what is it
The Sun is the central and only star of the Solar System, around which other objects in the system rotate. Solar radiation takes part in the process of photosynthesis and has a direct impact on the weather, climate and changing seasons on our planet. The length of a sunny day greatly affects the life of organisms.
By the way, the Sun shines with a whitish light, but when passing through the Earth's atmosphere, it becomes yellowish. The most common theory of the origin of the Solar System states that its formation was caused by the explosions of one or more supernovae.
Since ancient times, people have worshiped the Sun as a deity and organized various holidays in his honor. In Rus', such holidays were Maslenitsa, Summer Solstice Day and Vernal Equinox Day. In honor of the Sun, spells, songs were composed, and games were played. The cult of the Sun was present in the religions of the civilizations of the Incas, Egyptians, and Aztecs. Many ancient monuments are associated with the Sun, these include megaliths that accurately marked the position of the summer solstice. One of the largest and most famous of them is the megalith in English Stonehenge.
The sun emits ultraviolet light, which has antiseptic properties. It can be used to disinfect water and various objects. This radiation can also cause tanning on human skin, and has some other biological effects - for example, it promotes the production of vitamin D in the human body. It should be noted that large doses of ultraviolet radiation are harmful to our health - they can cause skin cancer, solar impact and some other problems. Therefore, people in the summer, when the sun is most active, need to protect themselves from its rays. To do this, we wear hats, sunglasses and use sunscreen.
As is known, the effects of ultraviolet radiation are weakened by the ozone layer located in the earth's atmosphere. However, in recent years, environmental deterioration on our planet has led to a thinning of the ozone layer and the formation of so-called ozone holes.
The sun has a very powerful magnetic field, its strength changes over time. There are people who are sensitive to magnetic storms that occur on the Sun. In them, these processes cause deterioration in well-being and headaches.
Scientists have calculated that the current age of the Sun is about 4.57 billion years.
The idea that the Sun is the center around which the planets revolve was first expressed by Aristarchus of Samos and ancient Indian scientists. In the 16th century, this theory was revived by the famous Copernicus. Aristarchus of Samos was the first to measure the distance from the Earth to the Sun. But, of course, there was no way to do this in those days.
Modern scientists have a large amount of equipment and knowledge to comprehensively study the Sun. Today, observations of the sun and its filming are carried out from balloons, satellites, rockets and space stations.
With the help of the second artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 2, the first extra-atmospheric observations of the Sun were carried out in 1957.
The first spacecraft designed to observe the Sun were the Pioneer series satellites created by NASA. They were launched between 1960 and 1968.
