LIFE Magazine – February 28, 1969
Tomorrow, June 22, marks the birthday of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, author of the cover story on this LIFE magazine. Does the name sound familiar? Probably most associated with her famous aviator husband Charles Lindbergh, Anne was an aviator in her own right as well as a writer. She was motivated to write “The Heron and the Astronaut” after attending the launch of Apollo 8 in December 1968.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh and her husband Charles attended the Apollo 8 launch from Kennedy Space Center on December 21, 1968. This was the first flight of the US astronauts into the orbit of the Moon. Witnessing this historic launch, Anne was motivated to write an essay titled “The Heron and the Astronaut.” In it, Anne describes the strange harmony of nature and technology that she experienced during the launch, detailing the advanced technological machine resting side by side with the wetlands refuge for herons. Through her essay, we discover her belief that man’s leap into space will ultimately foster a greater love and appreciation of Earth, contrary to what one might expect as technology advances.
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