The Open Page - Copy 22 (Lunar Celebrations, Space Station activity)
14 July 2009
There have been some great documentaries on TV all week about this fantastic feat and achievement, documentaries are still something that television does well, but there was one quieter one late last night (July 20) about the man himself Neil Armstrong. After he walked on the moon he became the biggest celebrity on earth. Everywhere he went hundreds gathered round asking for autographs and so on, and each one asking that same question "What was it like on the Moon Neil?" After enduring this overwhelming intrusion for quite some time, he eventually found he couldnt quite take it anymore and walked away from a hugely lucrative life in the big cities, to live quietly in rural mid america, in a house with no running water and no electricity. He went from the ultra high tech to the lowest tech possible. He never engaged with the public hysteria ever again and never again took part in any of the celebrations. His life was completely changed by the 'notoriety'.
An example of this was given in the documentary. It told of the barber who had cut the great man's hair. After Neil left his shop, the barber swept all Neil's hair up, plastic bagged it, and sold it on for $3,000. So you can see how his life became nigh on impossible. This didnt happen in 1969 at the height of his fame, no...but just four years ago. Neil heard about this incident, thought it unsavoury and tried to get his hair back, but was unsuccessful.
He continues to live the life of the recluse well away from the world, and takes no part in documentaries or anything of that nature. But perhaps it's just as well. Maybe it adds to the fantastic myth of it all. I cant imagine, or wouldnt want to imagine, Neil Armstrong doing the rounds of those dim TV chat shows. Imagine him if you will on that Jonathan Ross sofa answering terribly dull questions from that particular looney (as opposed to lunar!) goofball. "What was it like on the Moon Neil?" PB
Pictures by Phil Eyden
Yes indeed on this day in 1969 it was most certainly a giant leap for mankind. At the time the almost comic book adventure had huge impact, the whole world was indeed captivated by Apollo 11. The TV programmes carried nothing else for days and days and the world was totally agog. Even the music we listened to changed course and took onboard this brave new world of sensational space travel..."Ive got a ticket to the Moon" sang the Electric Light Orchestra. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became household names instantly, as they strode the lunar surface. The other astronaut piloting the command module is almost forgotten. I believe his name was Mike Collins.
Many thanks to our space enthusiast Phil Eyden
once again for the great pictures.
X marks the spot in pic on left of the Lunar Landing.
Heavenly Bodies:
As we all gaze skywards these days in deep reflection on that great moment 40 years ago when man walked on the moon, we are amazed at the busy and beautiful night sky. It covers us completely in a great blanket of vastness yet we hardly ever give it a moments thought. One man that does though, is our man on the spot Phil Eyden. Dodging lightning bolts and thunder crashes, Phil has stuck rigidly to his agenda this week to bring us these pictures of the night sky and in particular the International Space Station. Yes the Space Station is visibly whizzing over our Dovorian heads every night and sometimes twice a night currently, and can be seen at the various times as mentioned in Phil's thread in the Members Club Forum. As I understand it the Space Station goes from horizon to horizon in 4 or 5 minutes. Now, that is fast! So if you want to see it dont dilly dont dally and get your timing right.
Im not terribly knowledgeable on these things myself, but Phil will fill us in if I'm making any clangers. The streak is the Space Station as it makes its way across the night sky. Great stuff indeed and once again great work by Phil as these are not easy shots to get.
Phil says..
"
The streak is the track left by the station after clicking and leaving for a 60 second exposure. It's just passed the constellation of Bootes and is heading South - the bright star it has just passed is Arcturus, the third brightest star in the sky. Hopefully one day I'll capture it in clear view with some scenery for perspective, but if it's arc is high, there is not much chance with my camera, even with a wide-angle lens. "
Just to reflect a bit further on the moon landing all those years ago. When Neil Armstrong uttered those immortal and brilliant words "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" we hardly noticed it at the time, so awestruck were we by all the super extraordinary stuff that was happening. Many people hadn't even been in an aircraft those days and yet here we were on our tv's watching a man step onto the moon. The Neil Armstrong quote has become the most famous quote of all time, surpassing the Shakespearean and Wildean classics, but as in this current case with the Space Station "We may indeed be in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars!" PB
While most of us were cowering behind our sofas thursday night as the storm raged to the left of us and to the right of us, brave man Phil Eyden stood out in the thick of it all and photographed great bursts of lightning crackling terrifyingly overhead....Central Dover was a cauldron of chaos with unbelievable lightning and torrential stair-rod rain. In true tradition Phil was chained to the imaginary mizen mast in his back garden, and in real JMW Turner style, risked all to bring you this shot at great expense. Never has anyone been so foolhardy in the cause of art, well apart from Turner...for this picture is a study in nature's own art. The Gods were angry that night and no mistake. As we all know, it's not easy to capture lightning, so well done Phil with this one. Anyone else get a shot?? ....I tried myself ..but...
PB
There have been some great documentaries on TV all week about this fantastic feat and achievement, documentaries are still something that television does well, but there was one quieter one late last night (July 20) about the man himself Neil Armstrong. After he walked on the moon he became the biggest celebrity on earth. Everywhere he went hundreds gathered round asking for autographs and so on, and each one asking that same question "What was it like on the Moon Neil?" After enduring this overwhelming intrusion for quite some time, he eventually found he couldnt quite take it anymore and walked away from a hugely lucrative life in the big cities, to live quietly in rural mid america, in a house with no running water and no electricity. He went from the ultra high tech to the lowest tech possible. He never engaged with the public hysteria ever again and never again took part in any of the celebrations. His life was completely changed by the 'notoriety'.
An example of this was given in the documentary. It told of the barber who had cut the great man's hair. After Neil left his shop, the barber swept all Neil's hair up, plastic bagged it, and sold it on for $3,000. So you can see how his life became nigh on impossible. This didnt happen in 1969 at the height of his fame, no...but just four years ago. Neil heard about this incident, thought it unsavoury and tried to get his hair back, but was unsuccessful.
He continues to live the life of the recluse well away from the world, and takes no part in documentaries or anything of that nature. But perhaps it's just as well. Maybe it adds to the fantastic myth of it all. I cant imagine, or wouldnt want to imagine, Neil Armstrong doing the rounds of those dim TV chat shows. Imagine him if you will on that Jonathan Ross sofa answering terribly dull questions from that particular looney (as opposed to lunar!) goofball. "What was it like on the Moon Neil?" PB
July 20 and.....
The Eagle has Landed........
..One Small Step for Man..
.....One Giant Leap for Mankind.
Pictures by Phil Eyden
Yes indeed on this day in 1969 it was most certainly a giant leap for mankind. At the time the almost comic book adventure had huge impact, the whole world was indeed captivated by Apollo 11. The TV programmes carried nothing else for days and days and the world was totally agog. Even the music we listened to changed course and took onboard this brave new world of sensational space travel..."Ive got a ticket to the Moon" sang the Electric Light Orchestra. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became household names instantly, as they strode the lunar surface. The other astronaut piloting the command module is almost forgotten. I believe his name was Mike Collins.
Many thanks to our space enthusiast Phil Eyden
once again for the great pictures.
X marks the spot in pic on left of the Lunar Landing.
Heavenly Bodies:
Pictures by Phil Eyden
As we all gaze skywards these days in deep reflection on that great moment 40 years ago when man walked on the moon, we are amazed at the busy and beautiful night sky. It covers us completely in a great blanket of vastness yet we hardly ever give it a moments thought. One man that does though, is our man on the spot Phil Eyden. Dodging lightning bolts and thunder crashes, Phil has stuck rigidly to his agenda this week to bring us these pictures of the night sky and in particular the International Space Station. Yes the Space Station is visibly whizzing over our Dovorian heads every night and sometimes twice a night currently, and can be seen at the various times as mentioned in Phil's thread in the Members Club Forum. As I understand it the Space Station goes from horizon to horizon in 4 or 5 minutes. Now, that is fast! So if you want to see it dont dilly dont dally and get your timing right.
Im not terribly knowledgeable on these things myself, but Phil will fill us in if I'm making any clangers. The streak is the Space Station as it makes its way across the night sky. Great stuff indeed and once again great work by Phil as these are not easy shots to get.Phil says..
"
The streak is the track left by the station after clicking and leaving for a 60 second exposure. It's just passed the constellation of Bootes and is heading South - the bright star it has just passed is Arcturus, the third brightest star in the sky. Hopefully one day I'll capture it in clear view with some scenery for perspective, but if it's arc is high, there is not much chance with my camera, even with a wide-angle lens. "
Just to reflect a bit further on the moon landing all those years ago. When Neil Armstrong uttered those immortal and brilliant words "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" we hardly noticed it at the time, so awestruck were we by all the super extraordinary stuff that was happening. Many people hadn't even been in an aircraft those days and yet here we were on our tv's watching a man step onto the moon. The Neil Armstrong quote has become the most famous quote of all time, surpassing the Shakespearean and Wildean classics, but as in this current case with the Space Station "We may indeed be in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars!" PB
Lightning Strike by Phil Eyden
While most of us were cowering behind our sofas thursday night as the storm raged to the left of us and to the right of us, brave man Phil Eyden stood out in the thick of it all and photographed great bursts of lightning crackling terrifyingly overhead....Central Dover was a cauldron of chaos with unbelievable lightning and torrential stair-rod rain. In true tradition Phil was chained to the imaginary mizen mast in his back garden, and in real JMW Turner style, risked all to bring you this shot at great expense. Never has anyone been so foolhardy in the cause of art, well apart from Turner...for this picture is a study in nature's own art. The Gods were angry that night and no mistake. As we all know, it's not easy to capture lightning, so well done Phil with this one. Anyone else get a shot?? ....I tried myself ..but...
PB