Happy Moon Day!

Forty-five years ago today (July 20), humanity took a giant leap from its birthplace onto the surface of another world.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong clambered down the ladder of the Apollo 11 lunar lander and pressed his boot into the moon's gray dirt — a simple if clunky step, witnessed by billions from afar, that stands as perhaps the most memorable moment in all of human history.

"The whole world stopped to watch what was taking place," space historian Roger Launius, assistant director of collections and curatorial affairs at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, told Space.com. "I think it would not be an overstatement to say that."

That summer I was working as a prison guard -- I know, right? -- at the Wynne Farm outside Hunstville, Texas. I worked from 9 to 5 -- nine at night until five in the morning -- and so I was on duty when the historic moment took place. Although it was past the normal lights out time, the administration at the prison had allowed the inmates to stay up and watch the event. They were actually closer to the relatively small black and white television than I was. It was hard to see anything from my position in the guard's picket, but I can claim that I looked at those grainy images along with the billions of others.

On a weird side note, July 20 is also the day that Carmelites and some other Christians celebrate the feast of the Prophet Elijah, commemorating his ascent into heaven in a fiery chariot. I wonder how close he got to the moon?