National Cathedral Secret #2: A Piece Of The Moon
Along the south aisle of the Cathedral, one stained glass window does not follow the classical Gothic and religious themes common in most cathedrals. The Space Window celebrates the achievements of NASA and the exploration beyond Earth. It features stars, orbiting planets, and illustrates Earth’s connection to the depths of space.
Dr. Thomas Paine, NASA administrator during the Apollo program, donated the window. Apollo 11 crew members Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins presented a piece of moon rock at a Cathedral ceremony in 1974. The seven gram piece of the moon, is from a sample collected in the Sea of Tranquility during the Apollo 11 moon landing mission. It is a basalt rock section that contains the mineral pyroxferroite, something not discovered on Earth.
Where did we find this stuff? Additional sources
Eight secrets of the Taj Mahal. Lisa Cheng, Smithsonian Magazine. 14 February 2017.
The optical illusions that make the Parthenon perfect. John Leonardm, Greece Is, 12 January 2018.
Roebling and the Brooklyn Bridge: Today in History. (n.a.) Library of Congress, June 12 (n.y.)
The day a bomber hit the Empire State Building. Joe Richman, NPR.org, 28 July 2008.
When the Parthenon had dazzling colours. Natalie Haynes, BBC.com, 22 January 2018.
Yes, Darth Vader looms over Washington National Cathedral. Michael Walsh, Nerdist, 25 February 2022.
