242. [Apollo 11] CSM COLUMBIA ABOVE THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY: seen from LM Eagle before landing Buzz Aldrin, 16-24 July 1969 Printed 1969. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS11-37-5446]. Numbered "NASA AS11-37-5446" in red in the top margin, with NASA caption and "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context Columbia alone—Apollo 11 undocks for the lunar descent. Buzz Aldrin captured this photograph from Eagle using the 80mm lens on orbit 13, shortly after undocking from Columbia. At the time, both spacecraft were station-keeping 195 km above the southeastern Sea of Tranquillity (1.5°N, 57.5°E), moments before Eagle's historic descent to the lunar surface. As Armstrong and Aldrin made history below, Collins embarked on a 22-hour solo voyage in Columbia, orbiting the Moon alone. Part of his responsibility was to photograph the lunar surface—hoping, with any luck, to spot Tranquillity Base. "I guess the question that everyone has in the back of his mind is how do I feel about having to leave them on the lunar surface?... They know and I know, and Mission Control knows, that there are certain categories of malfunction where I just simply light the motor and come home without them." —Michael Collins (LIFE magazine, July 4, 1969) From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken: 100:33:47 Duke (Mission Control): Apollo 11, Houston. You are looking good for separation. You are Go for separation, Columbia. Over. 100:33:55 Collins: Columbia understands. [Long pause.] 100:34:38 Collins: We're really stabilized, Neil. I haven't fired a thruster in 5 minutes.