May 2, 2013
The Eagle And the Bridge
image by Howard Eskildsen, Ocala, Florida
The insert at the upper right of the image shows a portion of western Mare Crisium and its rim. It is easy to imagine the form of an eagle banking towards the center of the image with its right wing forming the western rim of crater Yerkes and the left wing partly hidden behind craterlet Yerkes E. The Apollo 11 astronauts passed over Crisium on their approach to landing on that unforgettable mission. Yet just above the "Eagle" a breach in the wall in Mare Crisium marks the spot of a forgettable imaginary bridge that led to the ruination of reputations of those who overzealously pursued extraordinary and unfounded claims of the bridge’s existence. For me, the juxtaposition of the "Eagle" and the "Bridge Too Far" serves as a reminder of what great minds can accomplish, yet how easily even the best minds can be led astray when observational data are selected to conform to preconception, rather than seeking conclusions that fit the observational data.
Howard Eskildsen
Related Links
Rükl plate 26
21st Century Atlas chart 2.
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