November 29, 2014
Penultimate Lpod
image and text by Prof. Ricardo Jose Vaz Tolentino, Brasil
Once upon a time there was a website known as LPOD. Every night, this website surprised us with beautiful photos and amazing technical analysis of the images. Every single night for 11 years, we learned new and profound things about selenographic science. The wait for the new LPOD and the night learning (or day learning depending of the country) has become a tradition. The selenographic culture reigned in great style, arousing interest, curiosity and producing knowledge. The LPOD approach catalyzed the understanding about the creation and evolution of the Moon for the people of Earth.
Behind it all, there was a special man! Senior planetary scientist, Apollo program veteran and good writer. He, like anyone, knew and dominated with property the lunar affairs. He generously shared his knowledge from other world with people of this world. This scientist, whose example should be followed, was a source of inspiration for new researchers of the Moon and became admired as a great teacher on our planet, and we will miss his important daily lessons.
They say that what is good is short-lived. What pity! We just have to thank, to the man behind the LPOD, all the dedication, generosity and the knowledge sharing with us. We have to thank too the colleagues from many countries who contributed with their great photos to publish the LPOD. On this sad farewell, I built a mosaic with all my photos, made with only 1 frame, which achieved the podium in LPOD.
The LPOD master lived inside the backstage of the historical era, and was a eyewitness of the space race and the conquest of the Moon. He prepared technically as few and will leave a difficult gap to be filled for lovers of the Moon. With this master I learned about the Moon. He inspires me to find out more about the Moon. With this master I learned to love the Moon. Goodbye LPOD, we will never forget you and your great creator!
Prof. Ricardo Jose Vaz Tolentino
CAW: Thx you Ricardo (and everyone else sending thanks and good wishes!) for these kind comments that are usually made after a person is dead! In this case I go on, although new LPODs end this year. I feel somewhat awkward publishing this description, but I have been happy to have shared my understanding of the Moon with others fascinated by it. And from my own experience many years ago of writing to astronomers, I know how wonderful it is to hear from a real scientist - I am glad to have been able to play that forward.
