Yes, i realise that if you live in different parts of the world, this may well have happened for you on July 20th. This does raise the question as to what time it was on the moon at the time? Do they have time zones up there?
I mentioned in another recent blog post about how this event was one of those that everybody who was alive at the time remembers. It really was one of those momentous occasions when the whole world was watching and which brought the whole world together.
I was 11 years of age at the time and remember the occasion very well.
I have always had an interest in astronomy & space travel. So, this was a big deal for me. I had followed as many of the Apollo missions as my age enabled me to. I can remember those pictures of the earthrise coming back from the Apollo 8 mission and the effect that that had on everybody. It was, after all, the first time that the earth had been viewed, by us ordinary mortals, from space. Those pictures are still as amazing to me as they have always been.
On the morning of July 21st, 1969 i was woken by my father so that we could sit down and watch Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin make their first steps on the lunar surface. We had, of course, been watching hours earlier as the lunar module had made it's descent down to the moon.
It was around 4am in the UK at the time. So, this was not a normal wake up call and i can't imagine my father letting me sit up and watch tv, at that time of day, for anything other than an occasion such as this.
Looking back at those old black & white tv clips of the footage, it really does seem a world away from today. But, those tv pictures were true space age technology to us back then and were viewed with a real sense of wonder.
At it happens, i don't really remember that much about actually watching the footage at the time. More about the occasion itself. The details have probably been lost in the mists of time. Well, it was 41 years ago.
Those 41 years have really flown by and i often wonder where they have gone. So, yes, this anniversary really does make me feel old. But, i wouldn't have missed watching it for the world.
My only regret is that, despite my boyhood ambitions, i never got to appear in a photo like this.
Oh well. I guess you can't have everything in life?
In my opinion you are a lucky man, growing up in a time like this...being witness of an exciting time in history. I wish I was born in the 50´s or 60´s. What do we have now? Now we live in a world so full and overwhelming with Internet and over-consumption everywhere...the more this world is knotted the smaller I feel. Hard to get attention or appreciating the things that really matter. That sounds melancholic. Maybe I am. :)
ReplyDeleteI do think i have been lucky growing up in such a momentous time. The 60's & 70's were great decades in many ways. Yes, we now have the Internet etc, which i love, i'm not sure it's as exciting as those times.
ReplyDeleteThis is a topic i've been thinking of blogging, or vlogging about. Thanks for reminding me Ralf.
That day - and that broadcast - was the most important to me to that time. I guess we're each of a certain age where every boy on the planet was glued to the tv at that moment.
ReplyDeleteI really wish I could have been alive for such an event. But alas, I was only a few years behind. And you're not old... just seasoned.
ReplyDeleteBy this date in 1969 I had followed the space race since sputnik! I can still remember the bleep, bleep, bleep that, when broadcast, was meant to frighten us. Instead we prevailed & rejoiced. At that time, however, I was waiting to blast off to Woodstock!
ReplyDeleteKen: To be an Astronaut was every kids dream at that time, myself included. I've still kept an interest in all things space related.
ReplyDeleteSteve: You're the second person to say that. It was a good time to be alive, i must admit. We just don't seem to have events like that these days. Well not good ones anyway!
LOL @ "Seasoned" :)
Willy: I'd love to hear your Woodtsock stories. Sputnik came a little too early. Even for me!