American astronomer Carl Sagan wrote “Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space” in 1994. The book was inspired by this now iconic 1990 “Pale Blue Dot” photograph (below) in which Earth appears as a tiny pale speck in the center-right:
The image was image taken at Sagan's suggestion, by Voyager 1 on February 14, 1990. As the spacecraft was departing our planetary neighborhood for the fringes of the solar system, it turned it around for one last look at its home planet.
Carl Sagan unveiled the image of Earth at a Voyager mission press conference on June 6, 1990, during which he shared his feelings about humanity’s place in the universe.
His words remain more profoundly relevant today, as we face global challenges such as climate change, political strife, and social inequality. There is no more poignant reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and each other.
Listen to Carl Sagan share his reflections about the Pale Blue Dot in this video:
You can read the full text of Sagan’s words on the Pale Blue Dot Wikipedia page.
Credits (from top): “Earthrise” photo taken by Apollo 8 crewmember Bill Anders on December 24, 1968 Nasa.gov;“Pale Blue Dot” photo taken on February 14, 1990, Nasa.gov; video, Carlsagan.com.
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Incredible. This makes me cry. Humanity should be more evolved by now...