[Apollo 8] The first human-taken photograph beyond Earth orbit. William Anders, 21–27...

[Apollo 8] The first human-taken photograph beyond Earth orbit. William Anders, 21–27 December 1968. Printed 1968. Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS8–14-2581, inverted]. 20.3×25.4 cm (8×10 in), with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso.

Literature: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, May 1969, pp. 608–609; LIFE, 10 January 1969, p. 25; TIME, 10 January 1969, p. 42; The View from Space: American Astronaut Photography, 1962–1972, Schick and Van Haaften, pg. 93.

After orbiting the Earth twice, the Apollo 8 crew fired the Saturn V third stage and became the first humans to get free of Earth’s gravitational pull. This historic photograph was taken by William Anders with the 80mm lens after separation from the expended SIVB third stage following translunar injection.

Already farther out in space than man has ever flown, Apollo 8’s crew at 3,500 miles gaze down on the shallow Bahama Banks (bottom of picture), turquoise against the darker, deeper Atlantic. Few clouds veil the southeastern coast of the United States and the West Indies (left of picture), but to the northeast a huge storm system swirls over the ocean. The spacecraft has now kicked out of Earth orbit toward the Moon. (National Geographic, May 1969, p. 609).

“This particular spot, the Bahamas lowland, was a turquoise jewel that you could see all the way to the Moon. It was like it was illuminated, like a piece of opal. And you could see that all the way. And I kept being amazed about that.” William Anders (Chaikin, Voices, p. 26).

Condition Report:Very minor irregularities on glossy surface of print visible only in a raking light, slight paper accretion to verso, otherwise nice glossy print and excellent condition.

Please notice: Supplementary material not included.

Category:Photos ▸ Vintage photographs