NASA Ames is named in honor of Joseph Sweetman Ames, a physicist and one of the founding members of NACA. At last estimate NASA Ames has over US$3.0 billion in capital equipment, 2,300 research personnel and a US$860 million annual budget.
Beryl, the mineral of which emerald is a variety, has a chemical composition of Be 3 Al 2 (SiO 3) 6. When pure, beryl is colorless and known as goshenite.. Trace amounts of chromium or vanadium in the mineral cause it to develop a green color.
The Emerald is a member of the Beryl (beryllium aluminum silicate) family. The crystal structure of the emerald, the February birthstone, is hexagonal. Elements of chromium in the crystal produce the color, whilst inclusions in the stone create what is called the jardin, or garden, of the emerald. For those who were born in the month of May the Emerald is the traditional birthstone.