Space, Voyager's Frontier

By Douglas Clark

Unless you’ve been hiding under an asteroid lately, you probably read or heard that Voyager 1, the venerable space probe sent out by NASA in 1977, has ‘officially’ left the solar system. Now let me start off by saying I’m a space nut. I love Astronomy, mapping the stars, learning about the Universe and every strange and amazing thing in it. As a kid I watched TV shows like Star Trek, Buck Rodgers, Battlestar Galactica, and Lost in Space reruns enjoying every minute of it. Also, secretly wishing everything in those shows could happen or were possible. As I got older, I realized watching those shows expanded my imagination and creative horizons. They taught me that just because something isn’t possible today, doesn’t mean it can’t come true in the future. I always look to the future with a strong sense of wonder and hope. To me, the future represents a time where things are better, problems are solved, and knowledge is gained, accomplishments earned, and there’s some pretty kick ass Sci-Fi technology to scoot us around the cosmos.

Okay, so let’s get back to Voyager. It’s a space probe about the size of a small car and it’s all alone in the vastness of outer space, just on the edge of what we might call our neighborhood. From NASA’s most recent report, it’s about 11 billion miles away. A stone’s throw in galactic terms, but to us humans that’s more distance than any other manmade object has ever traveled. Now Voyager 2 is only a few billion miles behind, but still. The thought of that little craft, a fragile mechanical messenger, flying through space to a fate unknown is mesmerizing. Think of it. I’ve imagined hitching a ride on that craft and experiencing a bit of its journey. Putting aside for a moment the logistics of actually floating along with the thing, just to experience for a brief second the wonders that craft will endure is truly breathtaking.

The Earth is our home and yet, nature finds a way to erase evidence of our existence. Though we may try to fight it off, erosion is inevitable. But, in the distant future, thousands of years after our civilization has morphed and changed into something wholly unrecognizable, or vanished completely from this world, Voyager will still be journeying out among the stars. Barring any strange or freak occurrence like a collision with some rogue asteroid or something, it will persist. Our legacy to the universe, our infinitesimally small yet distinct contribution proving that we existed will continue on to points unknown. If that’s not enough to inspire a bit of awe and wonder in your mind, you might want to check your pulse. For me, it’s fascinating without end, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks for reading.

 Questions and comments are welcome.

Douglashclark.com

Taking a Break

Long ago, on a TV schedule many of you may or may not remember there was a show called Cheers. Remember it? Well they had a theme song and it started out: “Makin' your way in the world today takes everything you've got - Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot - Wouldn't you like to get away?” 

Some of the allure to that show was the idea that other people knew who you were, and knew your name. They had your problems, other people knew how you felt and could relate to your feelings. It also offered a break from the daily grind; a place where you could relax, blow off some steam and just have fun. Being able step away from your worries for a little while is a great idea. Do you ever do it though? Think about it. We all have goals and aspirations; we all work and pay bills; we all are striving for something, but how often do you just set it all aside and relax? I’m guessing if you’re like me, you don’t relax anywhere as much as you should and even when you try, you’re still a bit tense about things.

Don’t worry, you’re not crazy. We live in an overcharged, hyper-active society. It’s hard to disconnect from our technologically dependent lifestyle. If you think about it, getting away from the electronic distractions is almost impossible. For me, I would have to get rid of my TV, my computer, my laptop, my iPhone, my radio, and my car just to eliminate the immediate distractions I have right at my fingertips. Granted I’m not going to do that, but those devices do offer a somewhat false escape from the world. The TV and internet offer entertainment but you will invariably be bombarded with commercials demanding you buy the next great thing, even though you don’t need it, same with the radio. Heck, phones nowadays are TVs, radios, and computers all rolled into one. Makes you wonder why we have any of the other things in the first place. Point is, getting away from distractions is hard, but if you try you might just find something interesting. Instead of being bombarded with commercials demanding you money, why don’t you try something completely different – A real break from the norm.

Recently I went to a dance; a waltz and polka. Now that isn’t something I try on a regular basis but I was keen to tackle something new, just for the experience. It genuinely was a break from the norm. Okay, so nobody there knew my name but I didn’t care. In fact, the entire dance was a period piece focusing on the 1800s. You wouldn’t find a TV or cell phone anywhere back then. The thing is, even if you are totally focused on your mission in life and wanting to achieve things, you really need to take a moment to look around and enjoy the moment you are in. Ever hear that old saying “stop and smell the roses”? Well it’s actually a good idea from time to time to actually take a break. At the very least you can catch your breath for the next round of insanity we call modern life.

Thanks for reading. Questions and comments are welcome.