MMTT4S - "Come outside with me - there's this moon you've got to see"

Captain's log: 20 July 2019 - Still on Earth, but looking up

Go here and check this out, now. Then come back and read my blog.

You know how some things are just too good to only have one or do once? 

Potato chips, fishing, fresh steamed oysters, going to see a Dave Barnes show, Harold Nutall's chocolate dipped Oreo balls, watching Castaway...

Yum!

Well, today is the day we landed on the Moon back in 1969, fifty years ago. I've already written about this momentous event and celebration...thrice. Still, I can't resist reaching into that cosmic chip bag for just one more.

Image courtesy of NASA.gov

Let's briefly discuss the Moon. Our Moon. I find it lovely, mysterious, mesmerizing, and powerful. Plus, it can perfectly illuminate a midnight swim. It has captured our imaginations, and guided our ways. It has inspired explorers, poets, artists, soothsayers, chieftains, and surfers for ages. It controls tides, fishing cycles, migratory patterns, our seasons, and maybe even moods. 

Read this about the Moon from Space.com (after you've finished my post).

I like the moon for other reasons, too. For instance, when it is really bright you can see your shadow. Think about that - you can see your shadow at night, naturally without artificial light. You can actually watch it move when you see it rise or set if you have a straight line horizon. I prefer the ocean, but it works well over White Sands, New Mexico, too. Some say that if you are lucky enough to catch it set at just the exact moment, you'll see a green flash. This typically occurs over a tropical sea from a vantage point of a waterfront or pier-side bar after a few daiquiris. I've never seen it, but I keep looking. 

Anything that is so involved with the tides, fishing, and art has got to be awesome. That's our Moon. And we were so inspired by it, fifty years ago we stuck three guys into the nose of a rocket and blasted them into outer space to give the place a visit. Then we did it 5 more times, putting 2 astronauts at a time on the surface, the last occurring way back in 1972. Six trips and 12 visitors total. 

Now it looks like we're headed back with the Artemis missions. Scheduled arrival is set for 2024. That makes me happy, hopeful, and proud.


Today's tune from Jimmy Buffett is yet another homage to our planet's celestial buddy called "Everlasting Moon." This gem is found in Buffett's box set Boats, Beaches, Bars, & Ballads. It's on the Ballads CD, where it should be. Play it at night, outside, as you gaze into the nighttime sky and stare at the Moon's "smiling...laser-painted face." You'll be glad you did. 



Ground control: "Aloha, Amigos!"