[Gemini VII] First Moonrise: Full Moon rising over the Earth horizon. James...

[Gemini VII] First Moonrise: Full Moon rising over the Earth horizon. James Lovell or Frank Borman, 4–18 December 1965. Printed 1965. Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper [NASA image NASA S-65–63852]. 20.3×25.4 cm (8×10 in), numbered “NASA S-65–63852” in red top margin, with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso.

Frank Borman and James Lovell were the first crew to bring back photographs of the Moon from space, rising over the Earth horizon, a milestone of space photography. Their fantastic Moonrise would only be surpassed by the extraordinary Earthrise they would photograph three years later on Apollo 8. An amazing and extremely rare photograph of the Full Moon over the Indian Ocean, seen from the Gemini VII spacecraft during its historic 14-day mission in space. The picture was taken with a 70mm handheld Hasselblad 500 C camera and its 80mm lens, using Kodak (SO217 medium) speed film.

“Once the Apollo program was under way, it dawned on me that soon somebody was going to be taking a picture of the Earth from the Moon, so I took this picture of the Moon. When we got there on Apollo 8, we took the Earthrise photograph; they were like before-and-after pictures.” James Lovell (Schick and Van Haaften, p. 55). “The Moon varied greatly during the 2 weeks of flight. Jim [Lovell] took this picture of the full Moon as a symbol of our next goal in manned space flight, the lunar landing. I think it also dramatizes the difference between mere orbital flight and the future adventures that will take Man a quarter of a million miles into the ocean of space.” Frank Borman (Cortright, p. 155).

“Here Borman and Lovell are looking at the full Moon they’d be taking close-ups of three years later.” Richard Underwood, NASA chief of photography (Schick and Van Haaften, p. 55).

Condition Report:Minor creases to bottom corners, otherwise excellent condition.

Category:Photos ▸ Vintage photographs