With many favorite subjects of continued fascination, I have always been thrilled by the Apollo lunar missions. This is, of course, due partly to my interest in space & astronomy, yet also an extension of my love of nature, "... with the hiking and the biking and the whoa ! .. thank you, mister science-explorer-type-person ... ! "
Just imagine waking up and looking out at your camping spot, only to suddenly recall that you've just risen after a good night's sleep on the Moon ! For this and many other reasons, the "J-missions" of Apollo 15, 16, & 17 are to me the most fantastic. During each of those visits, 2 astronauts camped on the Moon for three days, and drove their lunar rover around to many amazing locations, studying the geology and taking thousands of photos, witnessing some of the most incredible vistas yet seen by human eyes, while going about their day's work, in a vacuum.
The picture that I've been using as the cover photo for my Apollo tribute project, "Welcome to the Moon", features Apollo 17's Jack Schmitt at geology Station 1 during their first EVA.
( photo : AS17-134-20425 ) ... see Apollo Lunar Surface Journal for more info !
I have always hoped that he'd excuse my replacing his lunar rake with my Vantage electric guitar ! Many of his humourous and personable quotes have found their way into my tribute video series.
And it really should be known to all humans that Dr. Harrison "Jack" Schmitt is also the man who snapped the most beautiful and widely viewed photo of the Earth to date, during his voyage out to the Moon, as the blue home planet dwindled to the size of a golf ball held at arm's length. One Apollo astronaut described the Earth as a beautiful and fragile little Christmas ornament, hanging up there in the blackness of space. ( 'Full Earth' photos : AS17-148-22726 & AS17-148-22727 )
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