by In our modern digital age often marred by political divisions and social media strife, we could all use a little First Contact Day right now.
On April 5, we celebrate a crucial anniversary of “Star Trek” in the dense mythology of this space fantasy that forever changed the course of the inhabitants of Earth, as shown in the 1996 feature film “Star Trek: First Contact”. . (opens in a new tab).”
This marks the historic moment of April 5, 2063, when humanity first encountered visitors from the Vulcan race after these logical pointy-eared aliens detected the signature of Zefram Cochrane’s warp reader during his flight. triumphant trial Phoenix 1.
A nearby Vulcan survey vessel named the T’Plana-Hath then detoured to our humble world to investigate, eventually landing for the momentous encounter in Bozeman, Montana. You can see where we rank “First Contact” in our guide to the best Star Trek movies of all time, and find out how to watch it with our Star Trek streaming guide.
Created by “First Contact” co-writer and producer Ronald D. Moore, First Contact Day began in 1997 in the real world as an informal commemorative occasion for “Star Trek” fans of all persuasions to annually observe the April 5 to celebrate the “Star Trek” media franchise. Moore admitted he chose that particular day because it was also his eldest son’s birthday.
In the aftermath of First Contact, Cochrane’s warp drive theories prompt the formation of new fleets of starships to explore the galaxy as humanity is united in ways never before imagined. Poverty, famine, disease and war become constructs of the past.
Today is a great time to reflect on the exact ramifications of this fictional sci-fi universe and why it resonates powerfully with “Star Trek” fans everywhere.
So let’s gently unpack the importance of First Contact Day and consider how best to honor its themes of unity, acceptance, and discovery, no matter where you reside on Spaceship Earth.
Dare to indulge in “Star Trek”
In addition to revisiting one of the canonical “Star Trek” television series or “Star Trek” feature films spawned by Hollywood’s dream factory, venture into uncharted corners of the “Star Trek” creative landscape.
Explore IDW Publishing’s outstanding “Star Trek” comics and graphic novels, break out the chart table and gather friends for a “Star Trek” RPG session, enjoy one of the many “Star Trek” documentaries on YouTube or vintage interviews with a star legacy in old fanzines, play a “Star Trek” console video game or online MMO, or delve into a “Star Trek” related novel.
A time where Trek fans can beam
Today is a day to rejoice in the rich diversity of ways creator Gene Roddenberry’s original vision of “Star Trek” as “Wagon Train To The Stars” has affected our lives, our professions, and our passions.
To celebrate the kinship and camaraderie afforded to us as Trekkies and connect with this diverse and enthusiastic fanbase online, at conventions, film festivals, conferences, on “Star Trek” cruise ships , collectors’ exhibitions or even during a chance meeting in a café. or coffee.
Related: What makes a “Star Trek” fan? Costumed Trekkies share stories
Look at the sky!
The day of first contact reminds us to bow our heads to the sky and gaze at the celestial wonders of the universe amidst the vast tapestry of visible stars and planets. He tells us to dust off that Night Sky Field Guide or Stargazer’s Atlas (opens in a new tab) and whip out our telescopes or binoculars to peer into the cosmos while identifying familiar constellations, or stretch out on a blanket or bundle up in a lounge chair to watch shooting stars during Perseid or Leonid meteor showers.
This ominous warning from ace journalist Ned “Scotty” Scott at the end of the classic 1951 sci-fi film, “The Thing From Another World” is another example of the inspirational influence of First Contact Day. Incidentally, “Watch The Skies” was also one of the first titles in Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” before he chose ufologist J. Allen Hynek’s classification system for extraterrestrial sightings. “Watch The Skies” can also be seen on a theater marquee in a background scene in “Back to the Future II,” along with “A Boy’s Life,” an alternate title for Spielberg’s “ET the Extra-Terrestrial.”
We’re all in the same boat
First Contact Day is a balm for turbulent times to reconnect and emphasize that we are all true travelers aboard this spaceship Earth, quietly spinning in our tiny corner of the Milky Way galaxy, some 7.8 billion miles around. souls in 195 countries speaking more than 7,000 languages.
Seen from the perspective of space, limits and boundaries become invisible and the beauty and fragility of our Big Blue Marble becomes readily apparent. Remember William Shatner’s flight aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft during which he experienced the Glimpse Effect, that emotional moment of appreciation and perfect clarity upon seeing our watery planet with its thin atmosphere. courageously protect all its inhabitants.
To relive that historic occasion when Cochrane’s converted ICBM missile first reached warp speed and alerted the Vulcans to our presence, precipitating humanity’s first encounter with an alien race, step back and review” Star Trek: First Contact” by director Jonathan Frakes. (opens in a new tab)“, which is considered one of the best examples of the franchise’s cinematic offerings.
Seen in the current wave of international exploratory space probes, SpaceX’s ambitious Starship plans, the startling galactic images returned by the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, and NASA’s upcoming return to the moon with the Artemis missions, sitting down for a harrowing two hours with a Star Trek fantasy movie can be a very rewarding affair. Resistance is futile.
Wherever or however you celebrate First Contact Day and the past, present and future of “Star Trek”, may you all live long and prosper!
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