Astronomy

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Seriously, though, I used to be way into astronomy when I was younger. My father bought a telescope from the Sears catalogue (remember those?) right around the time I started school IIRC. He was always a man of insatiable curiosity but I think the purchase was probably inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing which would have happened shortly before then... I can remember being allowed to stay up past my usual bedtime if anything about it was on TV and he and I watched the coverage religiously. It's probably my first memory of anything that happened on a larger stage than my own little childhood world of home and family and close friends.

Its sad we have lost that spectacle of space travel. What do people my age (25) have to remember? If they are a little older they remember the Challenger. Most my age will remember the Columbia. All tragedies. Most will forget the probes that landed on Mars and Titan, there is just something about a human standing on alien soil saying "we came in peace for all mankind" that inspires us to greatness.

Well outside I go with my binocs...