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On the Christmas eve of 1968, Apollo 8, carrying the three astronauts was making the fourth loop around Moon. As the spacecraft skimmed over the desolate lunar landscape, there was a sight waiting at the far horizon that they were not prepared for. The sight of Earth slowly rising above the horizon like a blue marble suspended in the ever enveloping dark void of space. It had a profound impact on the people on board to imagine the billions of life forms living in that small sphere. The lifeless landscape of moon giving an ideal contrast to amplify the fact that this planet with so full of life is so precious and unique. Never before was Earth viewed from such a vantage point.
Earth Rise, the famous picture shot by Apollo 8 crew that gave the first view of our planet showing its loneliness and fragility. Picture credit: NASA
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A PRECIOUS PLANET
Earth is special. There is nothing like Earth in the solar system and as far as our eyes and telescopes can see
OUR LONELINESS
We are tucked away in an obscure corner of the galaxy where there is no life around us as far as our "eyes" can see.