Today is the 46th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. If you were alive back then do you remember watching it? I do. I was almost 7 years old and my family was vacationing in Sun Valley, Idaho along with my aunt, uncle and cousins. All five of us kids were outside playing when our parents called us in to watch it. I remember sitting on the floor with my cousins in front of what was most likely a black and white television set. I don’t recall many details but I did understand that I was watching something important.
I suspect that at least on some level that experience played a role in my interest in astronomy. I recall doing a rather extensive report on the solar system in third grade. I wanted to take astronomy my first semester of college but was talked out of it by well-meaning advisors who warned me that there would be a lot of math in the course. I took zoology instead which was fine but I wish I had followed my own inclinations.
The past few years, David and I have spent a lot of nights sitting outside stargazing. I bought him a telescope a couple of Christmases ago, too. There is something both soothing and awe-inspiring about looking up at the stars and planets. It tends to put things in perspective. Our day-to-day problems and challenges seem so insignificant when you think about what a teeny, tiny speck we are in the universe. David and I have some really deep and interesting conversations lying back in our zero gravity chairs in the backyard watching the night sky.
By the way, have you been watching The Astronaut Wives Club? We are enjoying it so much for many reasons – the fashions, home decor, history of that time period and of course, the space program, astronauts and their wives. My daughter, Lisa, loves it, too. In fact she was the one who recommended it to me and she recently blogged about it: The Astronaut Wives Club, a Must-See Show. If you’ve seen it I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave me a comment. I’d also love to know if you remember watching the moon landing.
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