2001 April 28
A clear blue summer sky finally grows dark and
the new telescope, hastily
set up in the backyard, generates excitment
and anticipation.
"I bought it for the kids.", Dad assures himself as he anxiously
supervises two young boys' efforts to center a bright,
first
quarter Moon in the finder.
The evening's first target acquired, James adjusts
the focus knob and falls silent.
Suddenly, "Wow, looks just like on
Apollo 13!".
His younger brother Christopher takes his turn.
"Do you see the Moon?",
James asks, eager to provide guidance
based on his own observing experience.
Christopher echoes his brother's
enthusiasm, "Yes, and I see all the
crashes too!".
The view they shared was not too different from
this image of the seven day old moon, recorded
in July 2000 by kids and staff
during an observing session at
Space Camp
in Izmir, Turkey.
Along the terminator, the line between lunar
night and day, the shadows
outline to advantage the spectacular craters -- caused by
all the crashes.