Today we went to meet Ned's dad and go with him to Fotocare, our favorite camera store, he's buying a new camera for himself and wanted to go get it. they just moved into a new space and since the store is larger have room for events and lectures in the shop.
For the 40's anniversary for the moon landing, they had a show of photos taken on the moon, a display of the back-up Husselblad cameras the astronauts used, the originals apparently staid on the moon to make room for rocks and other moon samples, and one of the space suits that was actually warn in space.
I was expecting a lecture or explanation, I also expected a huge crowed, I was disappointed about the first and thrilled about the second. John opened the display cabinets where the cameras were and let us hold them, and then showed us the suite, it was just sitting there on the table, made out of fabric and switches that could have belong to any electric circlet. The huge helmet with the golden visor, the photo of which we could see on the wall with the moon in the background - it looked very stylish but also, very utilitarian, and surprisingly, very simple.
This whole experience, without me having any expectation of it, moved me to the verge of tears, I felt like one of those kids who runs around excited till they burst into wails because they just can't contained their own emotions. I can't really explain it, or rather, i can but the words just don't see enough. The notion of being in such close proximity to something that has left earth and came back was really shocking, also, the notion of being in such proximity to something that was such a historic relic, while at the same time, totally connected to modern day made the whole notion of space travel feels both very possible and extremely unlikely.
I felt at once that my own life and problems are puny and small compare to the idea of being in space, and at the same time, very connected to the history of mankind and modern world.
The suite and cameras will be in display till the end of the week, I don't know if everyone (or indeed anyone) else but me will experience this strange and intense feeling of rapture, but if you are in NY and have some free time, it's totally worth seeing.
Now I just need ti figure out how to get to the moon so I can pick up that free Husselblad...
2 comments:
It sounds like a really really cool experience! It's interesting how sometimes random things that we might never had expected can move us to tears.
I've never had your exact experience, but there are times where I'm in a situation where I feel like I'm a small piece of a much much larger universe and I feel like crying out of sheer wonder and overwhelming-ness (that can't be a word)
what a great experience ! those cameras are awesome.. i have some pics of one in a blog entry i did a few months back. i wish i could get my hands on one of them too :) http://thehouseoflotus.blogspot.com/2009/04/welcome-to-house-of-lotus.html
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