The original post appeared on LinkedIn. You can view it below on Linkedin or scroll below for the web version.
Pale Blue dot moments
Pale Blue dot - perhaps the most popular picture ever taken in the history of humankind. Captured by Voyager 1 in 1990 from a distance of 6.4 Billion KMs. Caught in the centre of scattered light rays (a result of taking the picture so close to the Sun), Earth appears as a tiny point of light, a crescent only 0.12 pixel in size. The image was interpreted as representing humanity's minuscule and ephemeral place amidst the cosmos
Here is a few lines taken from Carl Sagan's book on the same.
"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's (ho)me... Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light."
Here I am, caught in the centre of 'scattered light rays' as a result of pictures taken in the presence of esteemed dignitaries. The first picture was taken at the valedictory function of IAS Phase I professional course with Honourable vice president, while the second one captures the conclusion of Common Foundation Course with Honourable Prime Minister.
Let these images remind my future self of the humility required, and not to get too carried away by our imagined self-importance and the delusion of some privileged position, as Carl Sagan warned.
