Stars and Fellow (Time-) Travelers

On this day in 1946 fervent anti-Communist Joseph McCarthy and his House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) interrogates noted astronomer (and political liberal) Harlow Shapley, known for his correct positioning of the Sun — 27,000 light-years away from the center of our Galaxy.

In a kind of political, scientific and cosmic time shift — light-years, in fact, from 1940s McCarthyism — on this day in 1995 the NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with the orbiting Russian Space Station MIR.

And, to further expand our intergalactic theme, on this date in 1997 Star Trek actor William Shatner weds his third wife and today in 1999 the transit of Mercury is visible in North America.

One can imagine that Harlow Shapley might have echoed the sentiments expressed on this sun-yellow T during his HUAC trial. From the "Alien Shirts" series of the PLAYERZ INTERNATIONAL CafePress.com shop.

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