Take one giant leap to Flagstaff to celebrate lunar landing anniversary
Jul 19, 2018, 4:44 AM
Buzz Aldrin walks on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in a photo taken by fellow American astronaut Neil Armstrong. (Flickr Photo/NASA on The Commons)
(Flickr Photo/NASA on The Commons)
PHOENIX — Before American astronauts walked on the moon for the first time nearly half a century ago, they trained in northern Arizona.
In the year leading up to the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s historic leap for mankind, one city is celebrating its role in the Apollo moon missions with the Flagstaff AZ Lunar Legacy.
The yearlong program will feature movie showings, a lecture series and telescope viewings at the Walker Observatory.
On Friday, exactly 49 years after Armstrong climbed down the Apollo 11 ladder and became the first human to set foot on the lunar surface, the Lunar Legacy Launch will be held at the Orpheum Theater.
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The event will include a bluegrass rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” by the band Lucky Lenny. Flagstaff rock band Planet Sandwich also will perform.
Doors will open at 5 p.m. for the free event, with programs scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. In addition to the concerts, the launch will include children’s activities and presentations about Flagstaff’s role in the moon missions.
Mayor Coral Evans was scheduled to make an official proclamation recognizing the Flagstaff AZ Lunar Legacy.
As part of the celebration, the Lowell Observatory opened an exhibit last month dedicated the to facility’s contribution the the lunar landings. Scientists worked there in the 1960s to create maps of the moon’s surface. The exhibit was scheduled to be on display through July 2019.
