Eugene Andrew Cernan
Slovak-American heritage, Apollo 17, and its commemoration in Slovakia
Project at a glance
Eugene A. Cernan and his Slovak roots
Eugene Andrew Cernan (1934–2017) was an American astronaut whose paternal grandparents emigrated to the United States from Vysoká nad Kysucou, Slovakia, in 1903. As commander of Apollo 17, he became the last person to leave footprints on the lunar surface in December 1972. His story connects the history of space exploration with Slovak emigration and the enduring ties between Slovakia and the United States.
From the Cesta na Mesiac exhibition to Apollo 17
In 2019, I created the Cesta na Mesiac (Journey to the Moon) exhibition at the Slovak Technical Museum in Košice to mark the 50th anniversary of the first human Moon landing. Condensed versions of the exhibition were later shown in Žilina and Hniezdne. In 2022, I turned my attention to the 50th anniversary of Apollo 17, the last crewed mission to land on the Moon. The planned visit to Slovakia by Cernan’s daughter Dawn did not come to fruition; the anniversary was instead marked by a modest presentation hosted by the Slovak Astronomical Association in Košice. This work also included preparing Cernan’s biographical profile for a commemorative Slovak Post stamp issued on 24 November 2022.
The information panel in Ťahyňa
At the request of Martin Javor, director of the Museum of Emigration from the Territory of Slovakia to North America, I prepared an information panel about Cernan’s life, Slovak roots, and Apollo 17. The panel was unveiled in autumn 2024 in Ťahyňa, part of the village of Pavlovce nad Uhom, next to the small Eugene Cernan Observatory – ŤahyŇASA on the Kasigarda grounds. The panel introduces visitors to Cernan’s story and connects the achievements of space exploration with the heritage of Slovaks in North America.
Related links
ŤahyŇASA – Eugene Cernan Observatory and Slovak-American heritage
Slovak Post commemorative stamp: 50th anniversary of Apollo 17
Find the information panel
The information panel is located on the Kasigarda grounds next to the ŤahyŇASA observatory in Ťahyňa, part of Pavlovce nad Uhom, Slovakia.
Photographs and related materials
