Today in 1837, the birthday of Mary Patten. She became a celebrity when she came along on a shipping trip led by her husband and ended up in charge of the ship. Plus: photographer Andrew McCarthy has put together a timelapse of the moon’s phases that shows its lunar libration, or sway, in all its glory.
Mary Patten, 19 and Pregnant, Takes Command of a Clipper Ship in 1856 (New England Historical Society)
The Moon Sways Through Its Phases in an Incredible Timelapse Made from Over 2 Million Images (Colossal)
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