--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I doubt that the phenomenon was any…" description: "\"I doubt that the phenomenon was any terrestrial reflection, because... nothing of the kind has ever appeared before or since... I was so unprepared for..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/clyde-tombaugh-20377_astonishment_i-doubt-that-the-phenomenon-was-any-terr_2469644.png" --- # I doubt that the phenomenon was any terrestrial… ![“I doubt that the phenomenon was any terrestrial reflection, because... nothing of the kind has ever appeared before or since... I was so unprepared for such a strange sight that I was really petrified with astonishment.” quote by Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/clyde-tombaugh-20377_astonishment_i-doubt-that-the-phenomenon-was-any-terr_2469644.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/clyde-tombaugh-20377_astonishment_i-doubt-that-the-phenomenon-was-any-terr_2469644.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/clyde-tombaugh-20377_astonishment_i-doubt-that-the-phenomenon-was-any-terr_2469644.png) > “I doubt that the phenomenon was any terrestrial reflection, because... nothing of the kind has ever appeared before or since... I was so unprepared for such a strange sight that I was really petrified with astonishment.” [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The unprecedented celestial sight caused awe and terror, highlighting human unpreparedness for the unknown. **In simple terms:** A strange sight shocked and terrified him. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity while managing fear of the unknown. Themes science exploration emotion Mood wonder anxious Type scientific reflective When to use this quote - astronomy research - space missions - education - public outreach - museum exhibits Key Concepts astonishment fear unknown phenomena Questions to Reflect On - What emotions arise when confronting the unknown? - How can we prepare for unexpected discoveries? A Different Perspective Fear can hinder scientific inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astonishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishment/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Ufo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ufo/) ## Related quotes > [I actually got really petrified by the thought of people seeing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-partridge/i-actually-got-really-petrified-by-the-thought-of-people-seeing-me/) [Andy Partridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-partridge/) > [In order to grow, you must accept new responsibilities, no matter how uncertain you may feel or how unprepared you are to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/in-order-to-grow-you-must-accept-new-responsibilities-no-matter-how/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [You can't go into the cage and not love it, and you can't go in there unprepared. You have to prepare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-vanzant/you-can-t-go-into-the-cage-and-not-love-it-and-you-can-t-go-in-there/) [Paige VanZant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-vanzant/) > [When I began modelling I was completely unprepared for the onslaught of curiosity it carried with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/when-i-began-modelling-i-was-completely-unprepared-for-the-onslaught/) [Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/) > [The unprepared mind cannot see the outstretched hand of opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fleming/the-unprepared-mind-cannot-see-the-outstretched-hand-of-opportunity/) [Alexander Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fleming/) > [I think what scares me is feeling unprepared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/i-think-what-scares-me-is-feeling-unprepared/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [But we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the programme of life's morning — for what was great in the morning will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/but-we-cannot-live-the-afternoon-of-life-according-to-the-programme/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [I will not go into a story unprepared. I will do my homework, and that's something I learned at an early age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-bradley/i-will-not-go-into-a-story-unprepared-i-will-do-my-homework-and-that/) [Ed Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-bradley/) > [If someone takes you out, and you're wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt, and they take you to a fancy place and you're unprepared, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-strahovski/if-someone-takes-you-out-and-you-re-wearing-sweatpants-and-a-t-shirt/) [Yvonne Strahovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-strahovski/) > [“Well, it's a choice like any other, even though it's stupid to believe we can control the world and to allow ourselves to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/well-it-s-a-choice-like-any-other-even-though-it-s-stupid-to-believe/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You always have to prepare for the obstacles that are going to come. Consequently, when they do come, it doesn't affect you mentally near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-always-have-to-prepare-for-the-obstacles-that-are-going-to-come/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [“But I guess it never is what you worry over that comes to pass in the end. The real catastrophes are always different -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/but-i-guess-it-never-is-what-you-worry-over-that-comes-to-pass-in-the/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Those who are unprepared to demonstrate tolerance cannot expect or even demand tolerance for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kasper/those-who-are-unprepared-to-demonstrate-tolerance-cannot-expect-or/) [Walter Kasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kasper/) > [Sunday morning, before we go to hear the Word of God preached...let us not rush into God’s presence careless, reckless, and unprepared, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/sunday-morning-before-we-go-to-hear-the-word-of-god-preached-let-us/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [I don't think people ever were free of fear of death, but clinging to life and being so unprepared for it is a modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/i-don-t-think-people-ever-were-free-of-fear-of-death-but-clinging-to/) [Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/) ## More by Clyde Tombaugh > [How does a pansy, for example, select the ingredients from soil to get the right colors for the flower? Now there's a great miracle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/how-does-a-pansy-for-example-select-the-ingredients-from-soil-to-get/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [I think the driving thing was curiosity about the universe. That fascinated me. I didn't think anything about being famous or anything like that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-think-the-driving-thing-was-curiosity-about-the-universe-that/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [Unfortunately, a lot of the concepts in the Bible are based on ancient mythology that doesn't fit the findings of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/unfortunately-a-lot-of-the-concepts-in-the-bible-are-based-on-ancient/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [We were suddenly faced with the necessity of training a lot of young men in the art of navigation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/we-were-suddenly-faced-with-the-necessity-of-training-a-lot-of-young/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [I was interested in telescopes and the way they worked because I had an intense desire to see what things looked like, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-was-interested-in-telescopes-and-the-way-they-worked-because-i-had/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [The planets are never the same twice, they're always different, so they could compare the markings I had drawn with their current photographs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/the-planets-are-never-the-same-twice-they-re-always-different-so-they/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [I thought I'd better check this third plate, which is another date, see if there's an image there in the right place that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-thought-i-d-better-check-this-third-plate-which-is-another-date-see/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [Although my early equipment was very modest, later I made my own and they were more powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/although-my-early-equipment-was-very-modest-later-i-made-my-own-and/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [A person that much interested in science is going to neglect his social life somewhat, but not completely, because that isn't healthy either. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/a-person-that-much-interested-in-science-is-going-to-neglect-his/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [I guess they just took it for granted that that was what I was interested in and let nature take its course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-guess-they-just-took-it-for-granted-that-that-was-what-i-was/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [It was depressing, ... I worried about how I would make a living. I didn't want to stay on the farm. It didn't offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/it-was-depressing-i-worried-about-how-i-would-make-a-living-i-didn-t/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [I used to think about how nice it would be to visit the planets. Of course, I didn't expect to see in my lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-used-to-think-about-how-nice-it-would-be-to-visit-the-planets-of/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [I used to believe there were people on Mars, and of course now we know there aren't. Mars held particular interest. I was curious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-used-to-believe-there-were-people-on-mars-and-of-course-now-we-know/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [I realized that I would have some very tough sledding, and I was very discouraged because I didn't see much hope of getting into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-realized-that-i-would-have-some-very-tough-sledding-and-i-was-very/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [That's the way I got along in life. I don't ever remember being particularly jealous of anybody, because I figured if I can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/that-s-the-way-i-got-along-in-life-i-don-t-ever-remember-being/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) [Explore all 31 Clyde Tombaugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) ## More Astonishment quotes > [“A writer lives, at least, in a state of astonishment. Beneath any feeling he has of the good or evil of the world lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sansom/a-writer-lives-at-least-in-a-state-of-astonishment-beneath-any/) [William Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sansom/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A lot of what I am looking for is a moment of astonishment, he says. Those moments of pure consciousness when you involuntarily inhale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-meyerowitz/a-lot-of-what-i-am-looking-for-is-a-moment-of-astonishment-he-says/) [Joel Meyerowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-meyerowitz/) > [If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I have lived all my days in complete astonishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born-under-it-yet-i-have-lived-all/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [If you aren't constantly astonished at God's grace in your solitude, there's no way it can happen in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-aren-t-constantly-astonished-at-god-s-grace-in-your-solitude/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Witness each moment in astounded jubilation. Take every holy breath in gratitude. Rejoice in life!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/witness-each-moment-in-astounded-jubilation-take-every-holy-breath-in/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Those who have past much of their lives in this great city, look upon its opulence and its multitudes, its extent and variety, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-have-past-much-of-their-lives-in-this-great-city-look-upon/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“See? Nothing to it." "I see all right," Carly said, her tone full of awe. She gaped at him. "What?" "Um..." "Jesus, Carly, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lissa-bryan/see-nothing-to-it-i-see-all-right-carly-said-her-tone-full-of-awe-she/) [Lissa Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lissa-bryan/) > [For a moment Clary thought she might fall; she felt as if something essential had been torn away from her, an arm or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/for-a-moment-clary-thought-she-might-fall-she-felt-as-if-something/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Both of you’ll just have to believe me. Emma’s one of those women who was born with… The thing is, the minute a heterosexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/both-of-you-ll-just-have-to-believe-me-emma-s-one-of-those-women-who/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [“For the analyst it is a source of never-ending astonishment how comparatively well a person can function with the core of himself not participating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-horney/for-the-analyst-it-is-a-source-of-never-ending-astonishment-how/) [Karen Horney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-horney/) > [It was only when I lay there on the rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/it-was-only-when-i-lay-there-on-the-rotting-prison-straw-that-i/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [Sometimes, people trying to commit suicide manage it in a manner that leaves them breathless with astonishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-people-trying-to-commit-suicide-manage-it-in-a-manner-that/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [When I wake up, I wake to something worse. It’s the astonishment of being myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/when-i-wake-up-i-wake-to-something-worse-it-s-the-astonishment-of/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of Days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-shall-i-say-and-how-shall-i-describe-this-birth-to-you-for-this/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) [Browse all 227 Astonishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I doubt that the phenomenon was any terrestrial reflection, because... nothing of the kind has ever appeared before or since... 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