Junior Secondary Category Winner
By Nichola Farnan and Aliki George
Telopea Park School, ACT
Name of sport:
Moon Diving
Where the sport is played:
EarthòÀÙs Moon
Physical conditions of location:
The moonòÀÙs surface is dry and dusty. It is covered in craters, which are normally larger than 1.5 kilometers wide. There is no air or water. The days are extremely hot and the nights are extremely cold. The gravity on the moon is one sixth of that on the Earth, because its mass is 81 times smaller than the EarthòÀÙs. Consequently, there is no atmosphere as the gravity is not strong enough to hold it there. Since there is no atmosphere, there is also no weather. There is no wind, rain or snow on the moonòÀÙs surface. The closest thing to weather is showers of meteors, which leave the ground scattered with a rich supply of exotic rocks. Footprints made by astronauts remain on the surface forever.
It is easy to walk on the moon, even with the heavy equipment that astronauts are required to carry, because there is so little gravity. On the moon, you would weigh a sixth of what you do on the Earth. So, if you weighed 60 kilograms, you would only weigh 10 kilograms on the moon, your mass however, remains the same. You would also be able to jump six times higher on the moon than on Earth.
Outline of the sport:
Moon diving coincidentally, is played on the moon. It utilises the moonòÀÙs many craters and can be played at different levels. A moon diver must wear a space suit. To moon dive, you jump off a diving board, positioned on the edge of a crater, the size of the crater varying with the level of ability. The crater is divided into different segments, all worth different points. The diver must jump off the diving board, getting maximum jump height from the board and also, special weighted shoes with springs on their soles. The aim is to do as many twists and turns as they can, to gain points, and then land on both feet in a segment of the crater. Of course, it is better to land in a segment that is worth more points, if possible. The crater is marked out like a target, with the center worth 10 points, and each outer ring losing two points, as seen in the diagram below.
Judges determine the points awarded for twists and turns and neatness, and also calculate the final score. Like the diving that takes place on Earth, there is also a separate synchronised diving competition. The size and depth of the crater used, depends on the ability of the diver, hence the different levels of competition. Crater depth must not exceed 100 meters, these craters must only be attempted by experts. The prize for the competitor with the highest point score is an exquisite, exotic rock.
How the sport takes advantage of location:
Moon diving takes great advantage of its location on the moon. For starters, the many craters on the moonòÀÙs surface are used for the diving court. The lack of weather on the moon means that the divers donòÀÙt have to dive in bad weather conditions, the competition can always be outdoors and never has to be cancelled. Also, the markings in the crater are never weathered away and footprints remain for confirmation of where the diver has landed, and can be brushed away after checked. The lack of gravity on the moon enables the divers to jump extremely high, and means that they have more time in the air to do sequences. Also, they do not have a big impact when landing, preventing injury.
The prizes (exotic rocks) are found on the moonòÀÙs surface.
Bibliography:
Internet
- http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/moon.html
- http://www.eoascientific.com/prototype/newcampus/space/11/earth/earth5.html
Books
- Gaff, J, Tell Me About Sun, Stars & Planets, Kingfisher Books, London, 1990.
- Stott, C, I Wonder Why Stars Twinkle, Kingfisher Books, London, 1993.