Eugene Shoemaker – the only astronomer buried on the Moon
In modern times, sending people into space and even burying them in space is no longer impossible. But so far, since Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon in 1969, only one person has ever been honored with a burial on this planet: Eugene Shoemaker.
Astronomers have a burning passion for the Moon
Eugene Shoemaker is one of the great minds of the 20th century. Born in 1928 in the US, he has dedicated his life to research on astronomy and the universe. Throughout her career, Eugene has made many impressive achievements and contributions. Together with his wife Carolyn Shoemaker and colleagues, he discovered the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 famous for its collision event with Jupiter. This is also a great contributor to the creation and formation of planetary science. Shoemaker is the founder of the Astrogeology Research Program – a project of the United States Geological Survey.
Eugene Shoemaker is a great astronomer of the world
With erudite geological knowledge, Eugene Shoemaker There is a series of studies that have greatly influenced the understanding of the extinction of the dinosaurs. But the strongest, most memorable mark of his life must be followed by the Apollo Mission to put man on the Moon.
Shoemaker has a strong passion for the Moon – Earth’s satellite planet from a young age. His life’s burning dream is to sit on a spaceship to set foot on that mysterious land. Eugene Shoemaker spent years getting ready to be one of the first people to go to the Moon, making history with the legendary Neil Armstrong.
Unfortunately, in the end, Shoemaker was unable to fulfill this wish because he suffered from Addison’s disease (adrenal failure).
Shoemaker beside his wife, who is also his colleague
The first and only person to be buried on the Moon
Unable to achieve her dream, Eugene Shoemaker still does her best to put others on the Moon. He participated in the training of the astronauts of the Apollo Mission, becoming an important person behind creating the feat that resonated greatly around the world in the 20th century.
While still devoted to astronomy, the great scientist died unexpectedly at the age of 69 while working. On the way to explore the crater in Australia in 1997, he got into a car accident and died.
However, Eugene Shoemaker’s space adventure did not end there. In 1988, mA close colleague and student of Shoemaker is Carolyn Porco was determined to send part of his ashes to the Moon. With the huge achievements of Shoemakernot difficult to Porco could convince NASA to agree to this wish. Eugene Shoemaker became the first and only person to date to be laid to rest on the Moon.
Eugene Shoemaker can still visit the Moon, albeit in a different way
On January 6, 1998, NASA sent a probe Lunar Prospector to the south pole of the Moon with 28 grams of Shoemaker’s ashes. The ashes are carefully preserved in a brass foil engraved with the name, date, Hale-Bopp comet, the Arizona crater (where he trained the Apollo astronauts) and a poem excerpt from work Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
After a year of completing its research mission, the piloted probe crashed near the south pole, meaning that a part of Shoemaker also remained on this small planet forever.
“Every time I look at the Moon, I will always know Eugene is there”Carolyn Shoemaker, wife of the astronomer shared.
In his homeland of Earth, since then, his memorial stone has also added a line: “Live Once, Bury Twice”.
Source: Insider
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