THE UNIVERSE floated above and around us ... vast, eerie, lonely, lovely, angelic, orderly ... at times as sparkling as a sprinkling of fairy dust. It also was destructive, relentless and restless, churning furiously within its unfathomable creative chaos.
Planets and gaseous clouds fumed, formed, faded and vanished at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver that celebrated its 50th anniversary this past Friday. Since I couldn't take pictures during the visuals I took pictures of pictures (the two above) while waiting to get into the
Planetarium Star Theatre.
Once inside I was enthralled not only by what I was seeing but by what I was hearing. The cosmos danced to the original music score written specifically for the occasion by Thomas Beckman, accompanied by the Borealis String Quartet and two others.
The composer of “Life in the Universe” says he was
"inspired by the unique character of the planets in our solar system and the wonders of our Universe". I was inspired by Beckman's ability to channel rhythms through musical instruments that mimicked the beating heart of deep space, from awakening and sleepy to fluttering and bombastic.
When the show was over and we drifted into the museum I took out my camera wishing I could fly like the man above ... or below.
But, no, I could only marvel at how cleverly humankind designed its flying machinery.
Marvel, too, at monstrous gadgets surely imagined in nightmarish dreams about space.
Even the lighting fixture in the lobby (pictured below) looked like it could fly.
It seemed grasping ... a multi-tentacled sea creature or starfish in the sky.
It was fully dark when we left the building. I took a parting picture of the crab fountain spouting water amid colourful lights. It felt good to head home on a rainless night.
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| H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Vancouver, BC |
I expected easy traveling on the freeway ... easier than the trip into Vancouver (below) at "rush" hour when cars, buses and trucks crawled and came to a lengthy stall due to multiple lanes squeezing into one at the tunnel. Depending on time of day, a trip to Mars can seem ridiculously more doable ... and the Milky Way more inviting.
Go to
OUR WORLD to discover more fascinating places from around the globe.
Visit
Postcards From Penelope Puddle and
Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more South West Coast scenes in British Columbia.
Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.
Wonderful to listen to that custom written compostion while watching ... ssometimes (often these days) I rather wish we lived on another planet (but who would I leave behind?
ReplyDeleteInteresting post and images. Nice visit to the space center. Sitting in traffic is not fun any time of the day. Enjoy your day, have a great new week!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post and intriguing images and yes the outer planets sometimes look a bit inviting ~ and yes our planet needs help ~ despite what our 'leader' says ~
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores
aka (A Creative Harbor)
How enthralling with a bit of magic thrown in too.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting visit. Colourful images of other planets but I think my travels will not extend to another planet.
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures ! that's above our world !! I think I prefer to discover more of our world on our planet.
ReplyDeleteWhat interesting images one after another! I really hope the humankind of this period can find the way to save this Blue Marble as cleverly as or more than those who designed its flying machinery.
ReplyDelete