I look up at the sky practically every time I leave the house to go to the office or, for example when I go to do street photography.
I do this not only to assess the weather but also to gain a proper perspective of my uniqueness, insignificance, and transience in this world. We see the sky as a synonym for freedom. Undoubtedly, when we have a clear, blue sky over our heads, we feel we are free. I am not an exception. While observing the sky, whether during a day or a night, I feel free as a bird. Do I frequently photograph the atmosphere? It depends on various issues. I consider photographing firmament as a cliche. Still, when I see it is worth photographing, I do it.
What else can I say about the title of this post? I believe that in answering many, often existential questions, we should look deep into the sky to discover more about Earth and ourselves. Luckily, it was not me but Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, Sir Isaac Newton, Edmond Halley, Edwin Hubble, and NASA who knew it well many years before I was born.
To get to know Earth, we should dive deep into the Moon, Sun, Mars, and many other celestial bodies to solve the puzzle of how Earth and Moon formed.
For example, did Earth appear after the collision of two planets, Earth and the second one, similar in size to Mars? After the crash, the Moon was created from the floating debris that could not escape Earth’s powerful gravity. In that case, it is no wonder that after the Moon’s formation, scientists counted that it was 17 times closer to Earth than it is today (and it is still moving farther away from us!).
Moreover, Earth has an unusually big core, probably thanks to the amalgamation of two iron cores. Thus, our planet’s magnetosphere is vast. Thanks to this magnetosphere, Earth is full of life (the magnetosphere shields us from the deadly solar wind), compared to the barren Mars, a planet without a magnetosphere that probably died away millions of years ago. Remember, my Dear Friend, the next time you go out, take a close look at the sky above and remind yourself of our place in our unimaginable time and space. You, my Dear Friend, too, play a part in this cosmic drama as an observer and a participant.
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