On this date in 1971, the moon was in a Waxing Crescent phase. This is the first phase after the new moon and an optimal time to see the features of the lunar surface. The moon can be seen in the sky after the sun dips below the horizon at sunset. The moon is close to the sun in the sky and mostly dark except for its right edge which becomes brighter as the days get closer to the next phase which is a First Quarter with 50% illumination.
The Apollo 15 mission began on July 26 and ended on August 7, with the lunar surface exploration accomplished between July 30 and August 2. It was the first use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle.
While millions of people watched the Apollo 15 mission progress on TV, an elder at Turtle Mountain stood in an isolated meadow night after night, focused on the moon itself.
Equipped with his sacred items, he kept a prayer vigil just as he had for the first moonshot. After addressing the Great Spirit and Jesus Christ in his Indigenous language, asking for peace on earth and a successful mission for the astronauts, he expressed gratitude for all their gifts to mankind.
He added in English, "I humbly beseech your mercy by casting my tears of humility so that you will accept this Indian pipe ceremony as my most genuine Indian style method to worship." He continued praying for hours, finally concluding with a special request.
The English translation, in part, was:
"Once again I humbly beseech your mercy that the astronauts of Apollo 15 will make a successful trip into space to examine another one of your creations. The Great Spirit Our Father In Heaven Creator of All Things: May their round trip to the Moon be successful through complete safety and may everything that mankind accomplishes in the exploration of space in the future end up in peace only so that violence and turmoil will not exists between nations. Please accept this prayer to be beneficial to astronauts of all nations who intend to develop peace through their discoveries. The weather forecast predicts rain for everyday of our annual 1971 Annual Pow Wow, so once again I offer as a specialty of this ceremony, clearance of rain weather."
Dakota Datebook by Lise Erdrich
SOURCES:
- Countdown Under Way For Monday Moon Shot. New York Times, July 21, 1971
- Moon Phase on July 25, 1971. ASTROSEEK. https://mooncalendar.astro-seek.com/moon-phase-day-25-july-1971
- Pat Gourneau letters and visits, 1971.
- Apollo 15. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_15
- Command Module, Apollo 15. National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian. https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/command-module-apollo-15/nasm_A19740605000
