THIRD SECRET CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD
10/10/19
Looking up at the night sky, we often spot the moon, a celestial body that's so near yet far out of reach. Our ancestors looked up at it in wonder for centuries. Rumour was that that it was home to the "man on the moon". The Japanese thought that rabbits lived on its pearly white surface. On the other side of the world, the Greeks believed that Selene drove the white chariot of the moon across the night sky each night. The moon was our very own myth. Something so common in the night sky, yet seemingly unattainable. No one actually thought that we could set foot on the moon. In fact, come 1969 and President Nixon had a speech ready in the case that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin died on the moon.
Fifty years ago, mankind took their first steps on the moon. The astronauts of Apollo 11 returned to earth with the first samples from another planetary body. This landmark event pioneered a series of Apollo missions carrying a dozen astronauts to the lunar surface over four years. Humans left Earth's orbit for the first time and uncovered a new world. The endeavour is strangely reminiscent of early mankind's rabid curiosity. We embarked on this mission with the same vigour with which the Polynesians set sail for Australia, an island in the middle of nowhere. In this globalised and interconnected world, it is challenging to conjure the drive to discover. After all, material possessions and technology ensure that we are comfortable with where we are. The Apollo 11 moon landing revitalised our inherent thirst for knowledge and the very ethos of the scientific inquiry. By exploring the unexplored facets of our universe, we our subconsciously setting in place contingencies in the case of future threats to mankind.
Space travel is dangerous. It's murky black depths are filled with radiation, debris and uncertainty. We are lucky to live in an universe where we succeeded in sending mankind to the moon. Perhaps, in another universe, the lunar module would have failed to launch from the grey surface, leaving the astronauts stranded. In another universe, the Apollo 11 moon landing could have been fabricated in the mood of overwhelming Cold War tensions (although I rather not think about this possibility).
Celebrating the Apollo 11 moon landing along with the discovery of Pluto, we decided to organise a stargazing event for interested students, in collaboration with World Space Week, the largest space event on Earth. The week commemorates two events:
- October 4, 1957: Launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration.
- October 10, 1967: The signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activites of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
“The General Assembly declares 4 to 10 October World Space Week to celebrate each year at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition" ~UN General Assembly resolution, 6 December 1999
During the span of this event, our dedicated members devised several interesting activities- a movie screening, a quiz based on astrophysical concepts, and most importantly- looking at the moon through the telescope.
We screened "Interstellar," an award-winning movie that showcased intense intergalactic trials and the plausibility of a future of limited resources. In Interstellar, it is common belief that the Apollo 11 moon landing was a hoax, a reversal of today's world. This movie offers us food for thought in terms of the morality of space travel and the opportunity for us to contemplate our unsustainable way of living.
To tickle the intellectual fancy of the students, we also designed a quiz about the dilemmas of physics, natural phenomena occurring in galaxies, and even the very composition of the universe. String Theory, Antimatter and Hawking Radiation. A palpable atmosphere of tension was created as all the participants excitedly showcased their knowledge of the universe.
Coming to the main attraction, our team of Telescope Engineers went on to focus on the moon.
We managed to guide all the students around the telescope and teach them how to look through the telescope and how to bring the object into focus. Accomplishing our primary goal, we were able to focus on the moon, studded in the dark blue sky, adorned with its craters. In addition to this, we were also able to spot Jupiter and focus on two of its moons- Callisto and Ganymede.
Needless to say, this event went off successfully and left us extremely satisfied. The steps of man on the Moon has inspired many, including our team and we will continue leaping greatly for humanity by planning more of these events.
The Apollo 11 moo landing proves the potential of mankind. The future is uncertain. What awaits us may be an inter-galactic civilisation powered by a Dyson Sphere. It could also be mass extinction. In this flourish of unpredictability, all we can do is look forward. Innovate. Advance.
Let the Apollo 11 mission set a precedent. The Moon is the Gateway to the Stars.
~Kuhu and Tarunyaa,
IB Year 1