The Sun Sets On Mars

Taken by NASA's Phoenix Lander from the red planet. When I imagine myself standing on the surface of Mars and watching the sun set, part of me sees the star as a comforting presence, something I've known all my life on my home planet that now provides an emotional connection to the Earth. The other part of me however notices the significant reduction in the size of the fiery sphere, emphasizing the vastness between where I've come from and the alien planet I now find myself inhabiting, and this only adds to a feeling of being so uniquely alone in the solar system. I like to think that the first people to actually set foot on Mars will share these same feelings some day. I envy them that.