November cartoon caption contest looks to the moon

U.S. Stamp Notes by John M. Hotchner

Being an astronaut used to be a really big deal. In the days of projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, these trailblazing astronauts were instant celebrities the moment they were chosen by NASA.

Not so much today. There are about 50 astronauts currently who have flown or are in training for future missions. Few would recognize their names, though they are just as intrepid as their predecessors. Certainly they are subject to the same risks (and arguably more) that come with the lengthy stays in space associated with the International Space Station (ISS).

A case in point is the two astronauts who went up to the ISS last June, expecting to be there for eight days. They are still on the ISS and will be there until February because their capsule developed problems that made it an unreliable return vehicle.

With this as background, we’ll use the 1989 $2.40 Raising of the Flag on the Lunar Surface stamp (Scott 2419) of 1989 as our cartoon caption contest issue for November. The stamp, honoring the 20th anniversary of the first moon landing, shows Apollo 11 astronauts planting the American flag on the lunar surface.

So, put yourself in the space suits and tell me what you might be thinking or saying about the flag planting, the challenge and risks of being an astronaut, how space travel might relate to philately, or anything else that strikes your fancy.

The best of the entries, one related to philately and one nonphilatelic, will be announced in this column after the contest closes. For each of the two winners, the prize will be a 13-week subscription to Linn’s (a new subscription or an extension).

To enter, write your caption (or captions) on a postcard and send it to me, John Hotchner, Linn’s Cartoon Contest, Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125, or by email at jmhstamp@verizon.net. It is essential that you include an email and postal mailing address. Entries must reach me no later than Nov. 22.

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