Space Observatory

Space Observatory

The sight of the observatory growing smoothly beyond his visor returned Daniel to the problems at hand. He nudged the translation control, brought the module to a stop less than a meter from the airlock, and docked to a fitting next to the airlock entry hatch.

After some trouble disengaging himself, he tethered the module to the docking part and entered the observatory. As the airlock slowly repressurized, Daniel stared down through the mesh-covered porthole. The raft of modules – so massive and labyrinthine when viewed up close – seemed like insignificant Tinkertoys against the luminescent Earth.

After the pressure equalized, Daniel removed his helmet and pulled himself through the hatch into the observatory. Audrey floated near the apex of the conical interior and she obviously realized she had a visitor, but she kept her eye nestled against the lens of an optical telescope. Her hair, which normally gave a slicked-back appearance when restrained by a net, floated out in a nest of spikes. Her free hand twirled her glasses by the eyepiece.

Space Observatory. Night Sky, November. Illustration: Elena