This year marks the 50th anniversary of humanity’s first steps on the moon.
Lincoln has commemorated this monumental event with an exhibition featuring a sculpture of the moon situated in The Collection.
The internally lit sculpture is made from detailed images of the lunar surface by taken by NASA, and each centimetre represents 6km of the Moon’s surface. The Collection will also host a series of film screenings and lectures on space exploration and the science of our Moon.
The early days of space exploration were driven by cold war nationalism, with one goal in mind; to out compete the enemy nation in the space race.
The Soviet Union was the first to send spacecraft, and animals, to the Moon. However it was the United States that succeeded in landing the first human beings on its surface.
Despite how mired the space race was in nationalism, the outcome was a deeper connection to the Earth, each other and the Universe. We gained a great deal of insight into the geology and origins of the Moon, as well as the health problems we face going into space from these early days. It also gave us the ability to explore the moons of other planets in our solar system, where giant oceans hidden under ice and thick methane rich atmospheres may hide life.
Today, 50 years on from conquering the Moon, we are still fascinated by it. Countries across the world are sending their own spacecraft to explore untouched areas on its surface, and it may not be too long before you can buy a ticket to the Moon.