Mooniversary

I’ve been loving all the coverage of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. I was born a couple of years after the event, so it’s always been something I’ve known about. But even with my interest in space I didn’t know all the ins and outs of how it was achieved. I’ve been making up for that by watching all the documentaries. I’ve watched Chasing the Moon, Stargazing Live, The Sky at Night, and, my favourite of a good bunch, 8 Days: To the Moon and Back which had original audio with actors recreating what happened. I’m also enjoying listening to the BBC podcast 13 Minutes to the Moon. All these programmes, with original footage, audio recordings, and news coverage from the time, made me feel as excited as if it was all happening right now! 

I created a playlist on my phone of all the space-themed songs I could find.

I treated myself to a mooniversary present, the book Professor Astro Cat’s Frontiers of Space. I’d bought it for one of my nephews for Christmas last year (I’d waited for some years after first seeing it, until he was old enough to fully appreciate it). I just love the retro style illustrations, which, very appropriately, seem to come right out of a science book of the 1960s. My favourite pages are those with the Apollo space suit and lunar module. With its stylish illustrations and interesting content, it’s definitely something that appeals to adults as much as children.

I re-read another book that's on my bookshelf, an amazing find from the Christian Aid book sale, which was released in 1964 in anticipation of the future moon missions, with amazing artists' impressions.  

By coincidence I’d also just ordered a silver and enamel pendant that looks like the earth and moon. In fact, it looks like a close-up moon with the earth in the distance, so very appropriate! This was actually my reward to myself for managing to run 10k without stopping, and it was only when I got it that I thought about how much it looks like the moon and earth.

I also ordered a couple of zines from Cutie and the Feast including one about animal astronauts, and a postcard pack that included one of female astronaut Mae Jemison.

Finally, I did a bit of moon related art as part of my 100 day project, with an illustration of an astronaut. I’d had this idea for a while and finally drew it after I was reminded of the idea by all the TV coverage.

Check out Marceline's post to find out how she celebrated the anniversary of the first moon landing - it was quite by chance that we both thought of writing about this same subject! I'll have to go and have another look at the plaques she mentions in Anstruther (not far down the road from me) as I haven't seen all of them yet!