Earthrise / Apollo 8
Taken 24th December, 1968
Apollo 8 mission
Courtesy: NASA
as08-14-2384.jpg
history.nasa.gov/ap08fj/14day4_orbits456.htm
This is the first photograph taken of Earthrise taken by a human as he watched the event unfold. Interestingly, it is not the image that has become iconic over the years by virtue of the fact it is monochrome. Two colour photographs taken in a minute or so will become the images that are favourite of photo editors around the world. Note how close the Earth is to the lunar horizon. We are looking across the middle of Pasteur, a large degraded mini-basin at 224-km diameter. The lighting renders its rim invisible but the distinct crater in the central foreground is Pasteur G. A cluster of craters at the top of the frame are centred around Pasteur U.]
[We have presented this photograph in an unconventional orientation with the Moon's horizon vertical. On Earth, the convention for a sunrise or moonrise shot is to have the horizon running left to right. Bill Anders has said that this is how he see this image. They were orbiting around the Moon's equator and with north being to the top, Earth came out from behind a vertical horizon. ]
history.nasa.gov/ap08fj/14day4_orbits456.htm
The first of these two images is likely the photograph that has become an icon for environmental groups around the world. It manages to contrast the rugged, hostile, barren landscape of the Moon with the dynamic, colourful life-giving sphere of the Earth.]
[So who took the famous Earthrise photograph? Bill Anders had always been sure he had taken it, and strictly speaking he had, as it is quite clear he did take the two colour images. Yet, in his book, Countdown, Frank Borman claims that the famous colour image was taken by him.]
[There are competing theories to explain this difference which were laid out in an article and subsequent letters in The Sciences magazine on the thirtieth anniversary of the flight by Robert Zimmerman, author of Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, and Andrew Chaikin, author of A Man on the Moon. Both of these historians agree that Bill took the two colour images and can take credit for the famous image. But who took the first black and white image? The controversy hinges on the identity of the speaker at 075:47:30 who expresses astonishment at the sight of the rising Earth. If the transcripts are correct and it is Frank, then it seems likely that he actually took the early B+W image by grabbing the camera Bill had been using and firing off a shot while Bill jokingly admonishes him for carrying out unscheduled photography. If, on the other hand, the utterance at 075:47:30 is made by Bill then it seems likely that he had kept the camera as Frank was rotating the spacecraft, spotted the rising Earth and fired off a shot before getting Jim to help him.]
[The unfortunate fact about this controversey is that Frank and Bill have very similar voices and it can often be difficult to distinguish between them. When possible, we will make a recording of the moment available to readers so they can judge for themselves.]
[As the crew are enjoy an historic view of their home planet, the other Hasselblad in its mounting is still photographing the landscape below.
Earthrise / Apollo 8
Taken 24th December, 1968
Apollo 8 mission
Courtesy: NASA
as08-14-2384.jpg
history.nasa.gov/ap08fj/14day4_orbits456.htm
This is the first photograph taken of Earthrise taken by a human as he watched the event unfold. Interestingly, it is not the image that has become iconic over the years by virtue of the fact it is monochrome. Two colour photographs taken in a minute or so will become the images that are favourite of photo editors around the world. Note how close the Earth is to the lunar horizon. We are looking across the middle of Pasteur, a large degraded mini-basin at 224-km diameter. The lighting renders its rim invisible but the distinct crater in the central foreground is Pasteur G. A cluster of craters at the top of the frame are centred around Pasteur U.]
[We have presented this photograph in an unconventional orientation with the Moon's horizon vertical. On Earth, the convention for a sunrise or moonrise shot is to have the horizon running left to right. Bill Anders has said that this is how he see this image. They were orbiting around the Moon's equator and with north being to the top, Earth came out from behind a vertical horizon. ]
history.nasa.gov/ap08fj/14day4_orbits456.htm
The first of these two images is likely the photograph that has become an icon for environmental groups around the world. It manages to contrast the rugged, hostile, barren landscape of the Moon with the dynamic, colourful life-giving sphere of the Earth.]
[So who took the famous Earthrise photograph? Bill Anders had always been sure he had taken it, and strictly speaking he had, as it is quite clear he did take the two colour images. Yet, in his book, Countdown, Frank Borman claims that the famous colour image was taken by him.]
[There are competing theories to explain this difference which were laid out in an article and subsequent letters in The Sciences magazine on the thirtieth anniversary of the flight by Robert Zimmerman, author of Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, and Andrew Chaikin, author of A Man on the Moon. Both of these historians agree that Bill took the two colour images and can take credit for the famous image. But who took the first black and white image? The controversy hinges on the identity of the speaker at 075:47:30 who expresses astonishment at the sight of the rising Earth. If the transcripts are correct and it is Frank, then it seems likely that he actually took the early B+W image by grabbing the camera Bill had been using and firing off a shot while Bill jokingly admonishes him for carrying out unscheduled photography. If, on the other hand, the utterance at 075:47:30 is made by Bill then it seems likely that he had kept the camera as Frank was rotating the spacecraft, spotted the rising Earth and fired off a shot before getting Jim to help him.]
[The unfortunate fact about this controversey is that Frank and Bill have very similar voices and it can often be difficult to distinguish between them. When possible, we will make a recording of the moment available to readers so they can judge for themselves.]
[As the crew are enjoy an historic view of their home planet, the other Hasselblad in its mounting is still photographing the landscape below.