The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Featured image via airandspace.edu

Over the years, several monuments and landmarks have been named after renowned Egyptian figures who have impacted the course of our national history and legacy. For example, we have the Naguib Mahfouz Museum, Ahmed Shawki Statue, Ahmed Zewail Street, and many others. This year, however, is rather unique as it marks the first time a celestial object is dedicated to one of our very own natives!

Yesterday, Egypt Today stated that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) named a newly discovered asteroid after Egyptian-American space scientist and geologist, Farouk El-Baz, in recognition of his efforts over the years with the agency, including the planning of the Apollo program and the exploration of the moon.

It was also posted on the acclaimed scientist’s Facebook page a day earlier, roughly translated from Arabic, “The International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided to honour Dr Farouk El-Baz, our fellow member of the Presidential Advisory Council of Egyptian Scientists and Experts, by naming an asteroid, discovered in 1978, after him. Congratulations, Dr. Farouk El-Baz.

Courtesy of NASA via twas.org

Her Excellency, Dr Nabila Makram, congratulated EL-Baz with a statement on The Egyptian Ministry of Emigration’s Facebook page, “El-Baz is an Egyptian remote sensing expert. He is perhaps best known for using his expertise to help select the landing site for the Apollo 11 astronauts. He also trained the Apollo 15 astronauts in geology, ensuring that the most scientifically useful samples were gathered for return to Earth.”

As we’ve mentioned several times in the past, recognition of efforts is a key component for the sustainable success of any strenuous hard worker, whether Egyptian or otherwise. And so, we are so pleased that Dr Farouk El-Baz received the acclaim that he more than deserves. In a way, it’s a life lesson to always “shoot for the stars”.