Some depict a man with a face turned away from the viewer on the ground, for example when viewed from North America, with Jesus Christ's crown shown as the lighter ring around Mare Imbrium.
#Man on the moon pictures full#
However, the Moon orientation associated with the face is observed less frequently-and eventually not at all-as one moves toward the South Pole.Ĭonventionalized illustrations of the Man in the Moon seen in Western art often show a very simple face in the full moon, or a human profile in the crescent moon, corresponding to no actual markings. This particular human face can also be seen in tropical regions on both sides of the equator. In the Northern Hemisphere, a common Western perception of the face has it that the figure's eyes are Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis, its nose is Sinus Aestuum, and its open mouth is Mare Nubium and Mare Cognitum. Various cultures recognise other examples of lunar pareidolia, such as the Moon rabbit. He is sometimes seen as accompanied by a small dog. One tradition sees a figure of a man carrying a wide burden on his back. Traditions Įxamples and occurrence globally The trio has become the personifications of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when they descend to the mortal world and give out cellophane lanterns, mooncakes and gifts to children. There, he eternally accompanied the Moon Lady and the Jade Rabbit. One day, when his wife ignorantly watered the tree with unclean water and caused it to uproot itself to fly away, Cuội grabbed its roots and was taken to the Moon. He was originally a woodcutter on Earth who owned a magical banyan. In Vietnamese mythology, the Man in the Moon is named Cuội. This is especially explored in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. In Japanese mythology, it is said that a tribe of human-like spiritual beings live on the Moon. As punishment for his disrespect, the boy was taken from Earth and trapped on the Moon.
Not wanting to gather sticks, the boy complained and ridiculed the Moon. The boy's father had told him the Moon's light would brighten the night, allowing the chore to be completed. In Haida mythology, the figure represents a boy gathering sticks. Another mythology tells the story of Wu Gang, a man on the moon who is trying to cut down a tree that always regrows.
In some versions of the myth, she is accompanied by Yu Tu, a Moon rabbit. In Chinese mythology, the goddess Chang'e is stranded upon the Moon after foolishly consuming a double dose of an immortality potion. He is continually pursued by the Great Wolf Hati who catches him at Ragnarök. In Norse mythology, Máni is the male personification of the Moon who crosses the sky in a horse-drawn carriage. John Lyly says in the prologue to his Endymion (1591), "There liveth none under the sunne, that knows what to make of the man in the moone." There is also a Mediaeval Jewish tradition that the image of Jacob is engraved on the Moon. Give rise to talk of Cain in fabling quaint? The first person to do something is always held in a special place in our societal memory, and this is an image that will stay with us throughout the duration of human history.But tell, I pray thee, whence the gloomy spots One of the first to stretch across the moon’s surface. Also visible in his visor is the lunar landing module and his elongated shadow. The only exception is his reflection which can be seen in Aldrin’s visor in this one image. Armstrong took all the still photos, and therefore is not in any of them. One interesting fact about the lunar pictures is that they are all of Aldrin.
It is proof that even what may seem impossible can be accomplished. Perhaps that’s why it stands as such a strong image in our minds. It was like nothing we had ever seen before, except in our imagination and artistic renderings. The image of Aldrin standing in a light grey desert, brightly lit with blinding white light and a stark black background was enough for many to question its legitimacy. (AP File Photo) #lunarlanding #manonthemoon #buzzaldrin #moonĪ post shared by The Columbian on at 9:23pm PDT
In this 1969 file photo, Aldrin is photographed walking near the lunar module during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity. Today is the anniversary of the famous lunar landing in which astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. You can choose from our exclusive styles or create your own with our powerful yet easy-to-use tool. Create your own personalized photo calendars and enjoy your favorite moments all year round.