It’s been over 50 years (51 to exact) since we first touched down on the moon. However, humans were marvelling at our celestial muse for centuries before we even touched down, thinking and dreaming about just how we might be able to get there one day.
As the anniversary of the Moon Landing is upon us (July 20, 1969), here’s a quick look at some facts you probably didn’t know about lunar travel and the moon landing.
1609 – Galileo, Galileo, Galileo (*Figaro Magnificoooooo* 🎶)
Aside from the popular Queen song, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, we don’t often hear much about Galileo. But you see Moonbabes, he was the first person to get a close up look at the moon using a homemade telescope.
What did he see? Mountains and craters. He basically figured out that the moon was solid and therefore could potentially be walked on! Grazie Galileo!
1813 – The Birth of Rocket Science
British mathematician William Moore produced the first equation that was the basis for how rockets could propel out of the grips of Earth’s gravitational pull. Funnily enough he was actually studying artillery at the time and had no idea that his equation would later help get rockets to the moon.
1969 – Astronaut Quarantine (this one hits home right now)
Once the three Apollo 11 astronauts splashed back onto this planet, they were quarantined for two weeks just in case they had caught any moon pathogens. We know now that for the most part the moon is a “pristine environment” without pathogens but at the time it was better to be safe than sorry!
Did you know that any spacecraft landing on the moon today is supposed to abide by the Outer Space Treaty which specifies that there should be no contamination of the moon’s environment? This helps to ensure that our beautiful moon will remain pristine for many years to come.
Presents for the Moon
Sure, we’ve brought back lots of souvenirs from the moon (i.e. a ton of rocks), but humanity has left a few presents in the stars as well. The Apollo 11 crew left a disc about the size of a quarter, that was inscribed with messages from the leaders of 73 countries as well as a Gold Olive branch symbolizing a wish for peace to all mankind.
Two golf balls also now sit in moon dust after Astronaut Alan Shepard yelled four and swung his club during the Apollo 14 mission and during the final three Apollo missions, each one left a lunar rover!
2015 – Haters Gonna Hate, But It Ain’t a Fake
Conspiracies theories can be fun when it comes to aliens, Big Foot, and the Loch Ness Monster (hey Nessie!), but when it comes to the theory that the Moon Landing was faked, it discredits the hard work that so many people were involved in.
That’s why Dr. David Robert Grimes, University of Oxford physicist created a mathematical model that illustrates how of the estimated 411 000 people who would have had to have been in on the hoax, at least one of those people would have leaked the conspiracy within 3 years and 8 months of the lunar landing.
Our relationship with the Moon is always evolving and moon walking may be a reality as early as 2024. With an exciting future, it’s always nice to look back and cherish the achievements and milestones of the past. Take some time to remember the moments that propel you into the future and cherish the one’s that brought you to where you are today.
The Milestone Moon Ring offers the perfect way to keep those special memories and achievements close at hand, the perfect reminder that the past is worth celebrating and the best is yet to come.
