AN ASTEROID NAMED 'DAINERE'

8th to 14th September 2012

My weekend was filled with homework, I had to finish off my Romeo and Juliet project, I wanted it to be so perfect, I spent so much time and energy working on it and when it was completed I felt so very proud with what I had achieved, I finished off the book filled with all my ideas by carefully putting a pink bow with a love heart attached to it.  I also had to type up my proposal, I had to make sure that it contained enthusiastic words whilst also making sure I had included all my terrific ideas.  The last part of my Romeo and Juliet project was doing a storyboard, Jarrett very kindly played Romeo for me and Nalani took the photographs, I then typed up all the cinematic techniques that would be used in the scene. 

My other homework task was Maths and by the time I was doing it I was so fatigued and my writing was so large and messy, so I truly hope that the teacher will be able to read it to mark it. 

I was so grateful that my classes on Monday did not begin until after recess so it gave me to time to rest after my tiring weekend.  In Maths we are working through our unit on Statistical Data, in English we had to have A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove by James Moloney read and we then began to answer questions in relation to what we have read.  Reading is difficult for me especially when the print is small, my eyes fatigue and then flicker madly and this book is not available online or on a CD so I could not read it that way.  In Sports Science we have been working on our unit of Peer Coaching I have been watching  the sessions and then we do an evaluation.  In PDH/PE we are learning about drugs and the effects they have on you. 

During the week, I completed my online Beginner Officiating Course through the Australian Sports Commission, I passed my final module with 100% and I was able to print off my certificate.  Another achievement to add to my Beginner Coaching Certificate. 

I had physiotherapy as always, Kaitlyn did a different type of releasing this time, as my spine is giving me so much trouble.  After she finished I had the wonderful heat packs to give me relief.  Kaitlyn said that I may be a little sore afterwards and I was, I felt quite uncomfortable and only today has it started to feel a bit better for me.  Sometimes some types of treatments work for some people and other times they don't, but you never know what will work for you until you have tried it.




With the extraorindary team of astronomers
 at the naming ceremony

The most splendiferous, most humbling and something that I truly felt so honoured by was that on Thursday afternoon we went to Mount Stromlo Observatory where an extraordinary naming ceremony took place.  An asteroid which was discovered at ANU's Siding Spring Observatory by an international team which included Robert McNaught (of Comet McNaught fame) and who so generously gave the naming rights and was accepted by the International Astronomical Union has been named after me. 


The arrow is pointing to the asteroid named 'Dainere'

The asteroid (308306) has been given the name Dainere with this citation listed for all future astronomers to see:  "Named for Dainere Monique Anthoney (b. 1998), an inspiring Australian teenager, author and blogger who raises awareness and funds for brain tumour research."

The asteroid named after me is quite a special asteroid. It travels around the sun once every 5.5years on an orbit that comes in close to the Earth and goes out almost as far as Jupiter (crossing the path of Mars as it travels).  It is very rare for an asteroid to be named after an ordinary person, so this is the highest honour that I could ever dream of having and one I will treasure always.

This asteroid is 4.6 billion years old and it will last until the end of time and beyond.  It means that even when I am no longer on this Earth, my very unique and extraorindary asteroid will still be there as a reminder of me forever.  Perhaps one time when it travels around the sun on the orbit that comes close to the Earth that perhaps it will coincide with a cure for paediatric brain tumours being found, that would be incredible!

This link is to a NASA website were you can actually have a look at the orbit of my asteroid and other important information.
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=308306;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb

I have been told that the most exciting thing about my asteroid is that astronomers will be discovering new and interesting things about it in the future and one day humans will probably visit it (but probably not for hundreds of years!).

I was given a special photograph and engraved plaque in a photo frame of my asteroid, I have hung it over my bed so my absolutely splendiferous asteroid will be watching over me as I sleep every single night. 




The engraved plaque on the photograph

Following the naming ceremony which included an interactive computer display, there was an afternoon tea and a chance to talk to the astronomers, I learnt so much and they are so dedicated and extremely passionate about their work, truly inspiring people who I feel so blessed to have met.  I can not thank those enough who were involved, especially Brian, Emma, Michelle, Dianne and everyone else. 

Next week at school is another busy one filled with more assessment tasks and on Friday it is our Athletics Carnival.  I am hoping to throw the discus, shot put and javelin and if I am able to, to do the 100m for my age group in my electric wheelchair. 

Many thanks to everyone who writes such beautiful and encouraging comments on my Blog, please know that I deeply appreciate them, I often look back over them, they provide me with comfort, laughter and hope.  You are all such a very special part of my journey - thank you.