President, Petaluma Museum
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Apollo 9 Astronaut Rusty Schweickart. I asked him what his most memorable experience being in space was. He answered that circling the entire Earth every 1½ hours gave him an amazing perspective of life on our planet. I believe that understanding the conditions of the solar system can also give us perspective and teach us the importance of respecting, appreciating, and protecting our own planet – and all we have in it.
Surrounded by the cold, darkness of space we are perfectly encapsulated in the most remarkably beautiful and hospitable environment. Our surrounding solar system, by comparison, is filled with drastically different environmental extremes, from the dust-bowl surface of Mars, to the icy surface of Uranus, which has an outer temperature of -224 degrees Celsius. We can look no further than to the sulfuric acid-laden clouds on Venus to demonstrate that being a victim of a severe greenhouse effect can create a surface hot enough to melt metal.
These lessons are not just for our children. When was the last time you looked up at the stars? I’m not just talking about a passing glance, but really spending some time gazing at the heavens. It’s really a therapeutic thing to do, and can easily put seemingly big problems into perspective.
Our society has forgotten something our ancient ancestors once knew – that being connected with the universe is, actually, our birthright. It really makes sense that space should call to us as scientists now and tell us that we are basically made up of “star stuff”. Since our body is about 70% hydrogen and the universe is 90% unconverted hydrogen, it’s safe to say that on a molecular level we are 13 billion year old recycled star dust. Now that’s a close relationship!
Science, and the study of our universe, can easily come from outside the classroom into your own backyard. Why not consider hosting a “Star Party” for your neighborhood with your local Astronomical Society, or go visit your local Planetarium or museum? You can even make your own rocket – there are many wonderful kits available at the local hobby store. In return for your efforts, you will find that your children are eager to broaden their minds and learn about space, and may even hold onto a few great life-long family memories. Let’s all keep the dream alive and keep space the final frontier.
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The Petaluma Museum was founded in 1976 and is one of the oldest organizations in Petaluma. It is housed in a beautiful 1904 Andrew Carnegie building, which brags the largest stained glass dome in California.
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Out of this world: LPP Space Contest
Do you believe in extraterrestrial life? Do you believe in the man on the Moon? Tell us! We want to know what your wildest space encounters have been! Comment on our Facebook page today and become eligible to win a wonderful Moon in My Room Kit by Uncle Milton. We will be selecting winners randomly throughout the day. Winners will be notified thereafter.
5 comments:
Thank you, Joe, for reminding us to look up! Growing up, space always meant limitless possibilities. Its vastness always overwhelmed me. I did believe in the man on the Moon when I was very little, I think my parents encouraged that. I like believing that there is a lot more out there because it gives me hope for more: more discovery, more answers, more meaning.
This is a great post with a lot of thought provoking information. We have a large telescope that we use constantly to "look up". I remember several times having it set up and then waking sleeping kids to look at a shuttle that was going by or an eclipse. I did not know about the museum in Petaluma but will plan a visit there soon. Thank you, Joe!
There is no better way to be present or to live in the moment than to absorb the wonder of a star-filled sky. Thanks for the post and for your valuable perspective, Joe.
Thank you for this thought-provoking post, Joe. I love the idea of a "Star Party". I may have to have one of my own!
Thank you for sharing some of the details from your talk with Rusty Schweickart. I really like your suggestion of spending some time gazing at the heavens. As my kids get older and their bedtime gets later, spending some quality time gazing at our night sky is going to be fun. Thank you for suggesting this.
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