--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I put up my thumb and it blotted out the…" description: "\"I put up my thumb and it blotted out the planet Earth.\" — Neil Armstrong" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/neil-armstrong-5298_earth_i-put-up-my-thumb-and-it-blotted-out-the_1391279.jpg" --- # I put up my thumb and it blotted out the planet Earth. ![“I put up my thumb and it blotted out the planet Earth.” quote by Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/neil-armstrong-5298_earth_i-put-up-my-thumb-and-it-blotted-out-the_1391279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/neil-armstrong-5298_earth_i-put-up-my-thumb-and-it-blotted-out-the_1391279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/neil-armstrong-5298_earth_i-put-up-my-thumb-and-it-blotted-out-the_1391279.jpg) > “I put up my thumb and it blotted out the planet Earth.” [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. I touched the moon with my thumb, covering the Earth. **In simple terms:** My thumb covered Earth from the Moon. Key Takeaway Recognize humanity’s small place in the cosmos. Themes exploration humility perspective Mood awe humble Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - education - science outreach - environmental awareness Key Concepts space travel global unity Questions to Reflect On - What does seeing Earth from space teach? - How can this view inspire stewardship? A Different Perspective Perspective may feel overwhelming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blotted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blotted-925896/) [Blotted Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blotted-planet-3628329/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Planet earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet-earth/) [Thumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thumb/) [Thumb Blotted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thumb-blotted-4850474/) ## Related quotes > [It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/it-suddenly-struck-me-that-that-tiny-pea-pretty-and-blue-was-the/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [“Even when a name I've long ignored--blotted from my mind in order to safeguard some good sense--pops up bold in my inbox. Even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/durga-chew-bose/even-when-a-name-i-ve-long-ignored-blotted-from-my-mind-in-order-to/) [Durga Chew-Bose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/durga-chew-bose/) > [“To really care for another is a reason to live. When that beauty was blotted out of my world, I no longer wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-mather/to-really-care-for-another-is-a-reason-to-live-when-that-beauty-was/) [Adriana Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-mather/) > [Before thou reprehend another, take heed thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend. He that cleanses a blot with blotted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/before-thou-reprehend-another-take-heed-thou-art-not-culpable-in-what/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [What is lotted can not be blotted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-kushwaha/what-is-lotted-can-not-be-blotted/) [Ashok Kushwaha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-kushwaha/) > [“You have blotted out the past for me, far more effectively than all the bright lights of Monte Carlo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/you-have-blotted-out-the-past-for-me-far-more-effectively-than-all/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon. July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/here-men-from-the-planet-earth-first-set-foot-upon-the-moon-july-1969/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [ “That's one small step for \[a\] man, one giant leap for mankind. It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/that-s-one-small-step-for-a-man-one-giant-leap-for-mankind-it/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [We are at the moment looking at space as something to be entered by the tremendous thrust of a rocket because that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/we-are-at-the-moment-looking-at-space-as-something-to-be-entered-by/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Planet Earth is our shared island, let us join forces to protect it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/planet-earth-is-our-shared-island-let-us-join-forces-to-protect-it/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [The earth itself assures us it is a living entity. Deep below surface one can hear its slow pulse, feel its vibrant rhythm. 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More significantly can one say that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/no-one-it-has-been-said-will-ever-look-at-the-moon-in-the-same-way/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [We need enlightenment, not just individually but collectively, to save the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/we-need-enlightenment-not-just-individually-but-collectively-to-save/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Too much under the thumb of the Iranians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-schiff/too-much-under-the-thumb-of-the-iranians/) [Adam Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-schiff/) ## More by Neil Armstrong > [There are people I'll always love to listen to, and I'm always ending up discovering new songs by them, which is crazy. 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We predict too much for the next year and yet far too little for the next 10.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/science-has-not-yet-mastered-prophecy-we-predict-too-much-for-the/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [Lindsay Lohan isn't a DJ, but because of her celebrity power she can do a gig somewhere, put her name on a flyer, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/lindsay-lohan-isn-t-a-dj-but-because-of-her-celebrity-power-she-can/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [The exciting part for me, as a pilot, was the landing on the moon. That was the time that we had achieved the national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/the-exciting-part-for-me-as-a-pilot-was-the-landing-on-the-moon-that/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has landed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/houston-tranquillity-base-here-the-eagle-has-landed/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/i-didn-t-feel-like-a-giant-i-felt-very-very-small/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [I tell you, we're going to be busy for a minute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/i-tell-you-we-re-going-to-be-busy-for-a-minute/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [Opportunities will be available to you that you cannot imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/opportunities-will-be-available-to-you-that-you-cannot-imagine/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) [Explore all 101 Neil Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) ## More Earth quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. 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He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Then all this earth shines like one house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/then-all-this-earth-shines-like-one-house/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. 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