412. [Apollo 16] CHARLES DUKE BY THE LM ORION BEFORE LIFTOFF FROM THE MOON John Young, 16-27 April 1972, EVA 3 Printed 1972. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS16-116-18723]. With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA AS16-116-18723" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). 25.4 x 20.3 cm. (10 x 8 in). Historical context A final glimpse of humankind's boldest journey. Charles Duke is seen by the Lunar Module Orion, preparing for departure. The American flag stands in the background, a symbol of the extraordinary human achievement of reaching another world. Captured by John Young on his way back from the VIP site where he parked the Lunar Rover, this image immortalizes the final moments on the Descartes Highlands before liftoff. Duke's presence near the LM is a powerful testament to the triumph of exploration—securing precious lunar samples, uncovering the Moon's geological history, and preparing to return these scientific treasures to Earth. A vertical streak in the image, caused by lunar dust adhering to the camera's reseau plate, stands as an artifact of exploration—evidence of the challenges and realities of working in the harsh lunar environment, rather than a mere imperfection in this pristine record of Apollo's extraordinary journey on the Moon.