“From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it’s different.” Carl Sagan
(First published in Urban Times on 13th Dec 2011)
Reading the article on the Voyager missions by fellow Urban Timer Jenny Winder, I was delighted to come across the famous Pale Blue Dot photograph. The picture was taken from Voyager 1 at the behest of Carl Sagan, cosmologist and astrophysicist, whose visionary understanding of the world went far beyond the confines of our little blue planet. The image is one of the most iconic ever taken, depicting a pale speck sitting in a ray of light.
Inspired by the picture and its daunting perspective, Sagan later wrote a book, which he aptly titled, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. He also came up with this magnificent speech, which puts life on earth in context within the entire cosmos.
For another video clip with different images, click here.