Eagle

Eagle is a common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae; it belongs to several groups of genera that are not necessarily closely related to each other.

Most of the 60 species of eagles are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found – two in North America, nine in Central and South America, and three in Australia.

Description

Eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with a heavy head and beak. Even the smallest eagles, like the booted eagle (Aquila pennata) (which is comparable in size to a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) or red-tailed hawk (B. jamaicensis)), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight – despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. The smallest species of eagle is the South Nicobar serpent eagle (Spilornis klossi), at 450 g (0.99 lb) and 40 cm (16 in). The largest species are discussed below. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Eagles' eyes are extremely powerful, having up to 3.6 times human acuity for the martial eagle, which enables them to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. The female of all known species of eagles is larger than the male.

Eagle (ship)

Eagle was a freighter which was sunk intentionally near Lower Matecumbe Key, Florida, to become an artificial reef and diving spot.

Ship history

The ship was built in 1962 for Danish shipowners J. Lauritzen A/S at Bijkers Shipyard, Gorinchem, Netherlands, and named Raila Dan. In 1969 she was sold to the Dutch shipping company Poseidon and renamed Barok. In 1974 she was sold again, and renamed Carmela. She was then sold and renamed Ytai in 1976, and yet again sold, and renamed Etai the following year. In 1981 she was sold and renamed Carigulf Pioneer, and sold for the final time in 1984 and renamed Arron K. On 6 October 1985 the Arron K. caught fire while sailing from Miami to Venezuela, and was damaged beyond economical repair. On 19 December 1985 the ship was bought by the Florida Keys Artificial Reef Association, renamed Eagle Tire Co. and sunk as an artificial reef near Lower Matecumbe Key, Florida.

Wreck

Eagle lies approximately three miles north-east of the Alligator Reef Light, six miles off the coast of the Lower Matecumbe Key, in between 70–115 feet (21–35 m) of water. On 2 September 1998 the wreck was disturbed by Hurricane Georges and split into two separate pieces, 100 feet (30 m) apart.

Eagle (crater)

Eagle is a 22-metre long impact crater located on the Meridiani Planum extraterrestrial plain, situated within the Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle (MC-19) portion of the planet Mars. The Opportunity rover came to rest inside Eagle crater when it landed in 2004. Scientists were delighted that the rover landed there, as the crater contains rocky outcroppings that helped prove that Meridiani was once an ocean floor.

Name

The name is a triple reference: in honor of the first manned spacecraft to land on the Moon in 1969; in honor of the launching country, the United States, whose symbol is an eagle; and in reference to the golf term eagle, referring to sinking a ball two strokes under par. The third reference extended the golf metaphor begun with a description of landing in the crater as "a hole in one".

Discoveries in the crater

Mission scientists were intrigued by the abundance of rock outcrops dispersed throughout the crater, as well as the crater's soil, which appeared to be a mixture of coarse gray grains and fine reddish grains. Upon closer, in-situ examination of the outcrops, whose layers are no thicker than a finger, it was confirmed that Meridiani Planum was once the location of an ancient, somewhat acidic and salty sea, though much more information on the history of this area would start being collected more than three months later, when Opportunity visited the much larger crater Endurance to the east.

History of the English penny (1154–1485)

This is the history of the English penny from the years 1154 to 1485.

The Plantagenets (1154–1485)

King Henry II ascended the throne in 1154 as the first of the Plantagenet dynasty. For the first few years of his reign the coins of King Stephen continued to be produced, but in order to restore public confidence in the currency a new standard was introduced, known as the Tealby penny after a hoard of such coins which was found at Tealby, Lincolnshire in 1807. A total of 30 mints were employed in the initial recoinage (the mint at Ipswich was not active during the early stages - but was extremely productive from class 'B' until the end of the series). The mints in operation at the beginning of the recoinage were— Bedford, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Canterbury, Carlisle, Chester, Colchester, Durham, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Ilchester, Launceston, Leicester, Lincoln, London, Newcastle, Northampton, Norwich, Oxford, Pembroke, Salisbury, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Thetford, Wallingford, Wilton, Winchester, and York — but once the recoinage was completed only 12 mints were allowed to remain active. This marks the beginning of the gradual decline in the number of mints used to strike English coins.