How did seeing the sun and moon on opposite horizons affect Alexander Calder’s art?

In 1922, while serving on a ship off the coast of Central America, Alexander Calder experienced a formative moment when he observed the rising sun and the setting moon on opposite horizons simultaneously.1

This experience provided him with a profound perspective on the vast yet precise mechanics of the universe. These insights directly influenced his artistic development, shaping both his choice of subject matter and his formal approach to sculpture, particularly his emphasis on balance and movement. This conceptual foundation eventually led to his signature innovation of the mobile—abstract, suspended assemblies that utilize air currents to create a dynamic, ever-changing relationship between objects in space.123