You posted this a while ago, but I love things like this. And this was a really good way to get perspective on a few things for me. The first thing to hit me was the comparative distances between...
You posted this a while ago, but I love things like this. And this was a really good way to get perspective on a few things for me. The first thing to hit me was the comparative distances between the earth and the moon and the earth and Mars. I remember the Apollo missions. I remember the tenseness of waiting for the astronauts to come home because the distances were so incredible and the dangers were so real. Space was just such a foreign place for people to go. Every time they went up it was the same for me. Apollo 13 was, of course, a particularly anxious time and we were all very relieved when they came home alive. I remember being very impressed that the Russians were willing to help us out when the astronauts had to be retrieved from the ocean. In the midst of the Cold War, it was a nice feeling.
Now to think of humans going to Mars which is so much farther... It's mind boggling.
The second thing that really struck me was the distance between Mars and the asteroid belt, not to mention Jupiter. After a lifetime of school models, the greater distances between the further planets is pretty amazing.
The third thing was the huge distances between Jupiter and its moons and then Saturn and its moons.
And finally, as an oldtimer, I'm so glad Pluto got its chance to be included. Some old habits die hard.
I also enjoyed the philosphical parts. The nothingness of the matter that is out there (and right here) in the midst of a much bigger nothingness, but that fact that it makes those insignificant specks so incredibly significant, including life on Earth.
You posted this a while ago, but I love things like this. And this was a really good way to get perspective on a few things for me. The first thing to hit me was the comparative distances between the earth and the moon and the earth and Mars. I remember the Apollo missions. I remember the tenseness of waiting for the astronauts to come home because the distances were so incredible and the dangers were so real. Space was just such a foreign place for people to go. Every time they went up it was the same for me. Apollo 13 was, of course, a particularly anxious time and we were all very relieved when they came home alive. I remember being very impressed that the Russians were willing to help us out when the astronauts had to be retrieved from the ocean. In the midst of the Cold War, it was a nice feeling.
Now to think of humans going to Mars which is so much farther... It's mind boggling.
The second thing that really struck me was the distance between Mars and the asteroid belt, not to mention Jupiter. After a lifetime of school models, the greater distances between the further planets is pretty amazing.
The third thing was the huge distances between Jupiter and its moons and then Saturn and its moons.
And finally, as an oldtimer, I'm so glad Pluto got its chance to be included. Some old habits die hard.
I also enjoyed the philosphical parts. The nothingness of the matter that is out there (and right here) in the midst of a much bigger nothingness, but that fact that it makes those insignificant specks so incredibly significant, including life on Earth.
Thanks for posting this.