This picture shows a Mayan incense burner that has a face carved on it. It was made by the Maya people over 1200 years ago and was found in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico. Click on image for full sizeMuseo de Sitio de Palenque “Dr. Alberto Ruz L’Huillier” – INAH, Mexico and the National Gallery of ArtMayans were sophisticated observers of the sky. Mayans used their astronomical knowledgeto predict future human events. They were aware of the movements of Mars. In one of theancient Mayan books, Mars is represented by a series of pictures of along-nosed beast shown descending to varying depths from a sky band. Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store! Our online storeincludes fun classroom activitiesfor you and your students. Issues of NESTA's quarterly journal, The Earth Scientistare also full of classroom activities on different topics in Earth and space science! You might also be interested in:Ahsonnutli was the sky father and chief god for the Navajo. He created heaven, Earth, and the sky. Each of the four directions, or cardinal points, are supported by a giant. Each direction is symbolized...moreAmphitrite was one of the sea-nymphs called the Nereids. One day the sea god Poseidon saw her dancing and fell desperately in love with her. He promptly asked her to marry him but unfortunately she refused.... moreAphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She was known to the Romans as Venus. To the perfection of her figure and the purity of her features she added an innocent grace. On her sweet face she...moreIn Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Jupiter(in Greek Zeus) and Leto (Letona). He was the god of the Sun, logic, and reason, and was also a fine musician and healer. Leto travelled all over Greece...moreAccording to an ancient Greek legend, the figure of a gigantic crab was placed in the nighttime sky by the goddess Hera to form the constellation Cancer. Hera swore to kill Heracles, the most famous Greek...moreIn the Northern Hemisphere sky is the constellation Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and that of his wife Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia claimed that she and her daughter Andromeda were more beautiful than the sea nymphs,...more According to Navajo mythology, the Milky Way was created by the mischievous behavior of the god, Coyote. When the world was created, the Holy People gathered around Black God to place the stars in the...more