Carl Sagan & The Pale Blue Dot

Written By Max Gibson

“From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it’s different. Look again at that dot. That’s here, that’s home, that’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every ‘superstar,’ every ‘supreme leader,’ every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

The reality of the statement is staggering. The words of astronomer Carl Sagan offer a perspective for understanding what we see as the vastness and complexity of our ever-changing planet. The photograph known as the Pale Blue Dot was taken from Voyager 1 spacecraft on February 14th, 1990 at a point 3.7 billion miles from Earth. First launched into space in September of 1977, the spacecraft was built by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to examine the outer reaches of the solar system.

As the first space probe to leave our solar system, Voyager 1 is notable for many reasons. Aside from being the farthest man made object from Earth, the spacecraft has remained NASA’s longest-lasting exploration mission as the craft is still in operation today. At the request of Carl Sagan, the Voyager 1 was instructed to photograph Earth from the edge of the solar system. Also used as a celestial time capsule for any being that might encounter the spacecraft, the Voyager 1 was equipped with a collection of photographs, music and other cultural artifacts, representing the diversity of life on earth. Spoken greetings in 55 languages along with salutations from U.S. President Jimmy Carter comprised the audio which would be known as the Voyager Golden Record. “If one such civilization intercepts Voyager and can understand these recorded contents, here is our message,” said President Carter.

As one of the primary engineers of the Voyager 1 mission, Carl Sagan’s words go beyond the technical arena to capture the philosophical significance of the Pale Blue Dot. An astronomer at heart, Sagan’s involvement in the project would help introduce the wonders of the solar system to the world. Fascinated by science and astronomy at a young age, Sagan recalled the 1939 World’s Fair in New York as one of the most profound moments of his childhood. Exposed to the inventions of the future, Sagan was introduced to highways, skyscrapers and televisions, the creations that would epitomize the “America of Tomorrow.” He said of his experience at the fair: “Plainly, the world held wonders of a kind I had never guessed.” Frequenting the public library alone in his spare time, the environment became Carl’s sanctuary. It was stars specifically that initially peaked the young Sagan’s curiosity. Devouring any book he could find on the subject, his interests evolved to encompass that of space and the solar system. Receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago at the age of 21, following his studies, the astronomer took on prominent educational positions at various universities. With teaching posts at the University of California Berkeley, Harvard and Stanford, Sagan also served as a consultant to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), as his knowledge of the solar system continued to evolve.

Popularizing astronomy to a wider audience, much of Sagan’s work centered on making the sciences accessible to the common person. He had a keen ability to communicate complex theories with simple words and images, allowing them to be understood by those with no prior background in the field. A crusader against the misconceptions that befall the sciences in popular media, his books and lectures aimed to offer fundamental insight into the evolution of the solar system.

Dedicated to a lifelong quest to understand the universe, some may think Sagan followed his obsession to a fault. Consumed by his work, his first two wives complained of his lack of dedication to his marriage and children. Perhaps Sagan valued his work above all else. “Even today, there are moments when what I do seems to me like an improbable, if unusually pleasant dream,” said Sagan in 1973.

Following his passion for exploration, Sagan emerged as the preeminent guide to the solar system throughout much of the 20th century, becoming a spokesman for the sciences. While his research distinguished him within scientific circles, it was his epic television saga Cosmos that exposed the astronomer’s mind-bending insights to the world. Taking three years to create, the 13-hour series catapulted Sagan to celebrity status. Groundbreaking for many reasons, the series was noteworthy for its use of special effects that placed Sagan among the various elements of the solar system, allowing him to walk through space as he explained his theories. Embraced by people all over the world, the series became the most widely watched PBS series ever, welcoming over 500 million viewers.

In his later years, Sagan tackled popular topics of the day, specifically the possibilities of UFO’s and extraterrestrials. Considering the possibility of UFO’s visiting earth as highly improbable, the astronomer still considered the topic important to study due to the misleading nature of UFO reports. A cannabis advocate as well, Sagan penned an essay in the book Marihuana Reconsidered that related the various ways in which marijuana had enhanced his life and career. While making countless contributions to the sciences throughout his life, it was a debilitating bout with pneumonia that would take the astronomers life in December of 1996. He was 62.

For many, the immensity of the universe is a concept too vast to comprehend. As a result, their focus lies within matters closest to earth. Much of Sagan’s work seemed to not only describe the elements of the solar system, but also to open the minds of those who considered his theories. “It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is, than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring,” Sagan once said. As a visionary and thinker Carl Sagan’s contributions to the realm of science and astronomy will be appreciated for generations to come.