Lot no. 177
177. [Apollo 8] EARTHRISE: the majestic Earth just emerging above the bleak lunar horizon
Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
Printed 1968.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS8-14-2389].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA / North American Rockwell, Downey, California). (North American Rockwell was NASA's prime contractor for the Apollo Command and Service Modules)
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
While the Apollo 8 crew totalling at the third Earthrise ever witnessed by humans, Frank Borman captured this electrifying photograph looking west through the spacecraft window using an 80mm lens during the mission's seventh revolution around the Moon, exclaiming, "Oh, brother! Look at that!" (see mission transcript)
The Earth majestically emerges from behind the bleak lunar horizon, rising over the 233-km-wide Crater Pasteur.
"For the astronauts, the most electrifying sight was the Earth rising behind the Moon's bleached and lifeless horizon; indeed, all three felt that they had come all the way to another world to discover the one they had left behind."
— Space historian Andrew Chaikin (A Man on the Moon, p. 52)
From the mission transcript (photograph taken T+081:43:21 after launch):
081:21:41 Anders: Tell you what—why don't I give you that other camera?
081:21:45 Anders: You've got color film; why don't you get a picture of the Earth as it comes up next time? [...]
081:28:47 Lovell: Still try to get a series, Frank, if you have a—[garble] you using 70-millimeter?
081:28:51 Borman: Yes. [...]
081:43:06 Borman: Oh, brother! Look at that!
081:43:16 Lovell: What was it?
081:43:18 Borman: Guess.
081:43:20 Lovell: Tsiolkovsky?
081:43:21 Borman: No, it's the Earth coming up.
081:43:22 Lovell: Oh.
081:43:29 Anders: Augh! Quit rocking the boat!
Pictures credits: Contact organization
Photographs and film
About the sale04/28/2025
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