Posted on 02/27/2022 4:50:55 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: "Oh my God! Look at that picture over there! Here's the Earth coming up. Wow is that pretty!" Soon after that pronouncement, about 53 years ago, one of the most famous images ever taken was snapped from the orbit of the Moon. Now known as "Earthrise", the iconic image shows the Earth rising above the limb of the Moon, as taken by the crew of Apollo 8. But the well-known Earthrise image was actually the second image taken of the Earth rising above the lunar limb -- it was just the first in color. With modern digital technology, however, the real first Earthrise image -- originally in black and white -- has now been remastered to have the combined resolution and color of the first three images. Behold! The featured image is a close-up of the picture that Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders was talking about. Thanks to modern technology and human ingenuity, now we can all see it. (Historical note: A different historic black & white image of the Earth setting behind the lunar limb was taken by the robotic Lunar Orbiter 1 two years earlier.)
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
what a beautiful sight!
Almost too good a place for us humans.
What an astounding image. The Apollo astronauts stood at the top of an enormous human pyramid, consisting of something like 450,000 people, that worked together to get them to the moon, using technology just barely capable of doing it when pressed to the absolute outer limits of possibility.
Just beautiful!
Thanks so much for all your great pics!
We should take good care of it!
(No, I am NOT a tree hugger)
We need to keep it clean for our children!
Besides, we have no other place to go!
I’m ashamed to say that I’d never seen, that I recall, this so-famous picture, black and white or otherwise. It is amazing. I’m not even ticked that they didn’t bother to hide a little cutie in the links - again, lol.
Mediocre food, no atmosphere.
With modern digital technology, however, the real first Earthrise image -- originally in black and white -- has now been remastered to have the combined resolution and color of the first three images. Behold!
You'll want to save these identification details from this famous set taken on December 24, 1968, because just as it is written, "Behold."
The featured image is a close-up of the picture that Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders was talking about. Thanks to modern technology and human ingenuity, now we can all see it.
The God of Abraham is never asleep at the switch.
There has to be a cheeseburger up there...somewhere...
Not a very good one...
If you actually lived on the moon you’d never see an Earthrise. Earth would be in the same place everyday. You’d see the same familiar 24 hour spin on Earth but with with the Earth changing phases on a monthly basis.
Apollo 8 was the first human spaceflight mission to leave Earth & voyage to another celestial body, The Moon.
Aboard were Astronauts:
Commander - Frank Borman (Gemini 7)
Command Module Pilot - Jim Lovell (Gemini7, Gemini 12, Apollo 13)
Lunar module Pilot - William Anders
They were the first human beings to see the earth as a whole & the moon's near & far sides close-up with their own eyes.
On December 24, 1968 they rounded the Moon for the ninth time, & then their second television transmission began in what was the most watched television broadcast at the time.
Borman introduced the crew, followed by each man giving his impression of the lunar surface and what it was like to be orbiting the Moon, than the crew of Apollo 8 read in turn from the Book of Genesis as they orbited the moon. William Anders, Jim Lovell, and Frank Borman recited verses 1 through 10, using the King James Version text.
William Anders
"We are now approaching lunar sunrise and, for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Jim Lovell
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
Frank Borman
"And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas -- and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."Apollo 8 - Book Of Genesis Reading (December 24, 1968) | September 2, 2010 | TheApollo11Channel
We watched on a small black-and-white set, probably about 8 or 9 inches diagonally, the picture quality was just good enough to make out lunar craters moving across the screen, but to hear the astronauts recite from Genesis as it was happening was one of those live tv moments you never forget.
Brings a tear to my eyes even today.
It was a perfect moment in time.
Bill Anders:
"We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you."
***
While the Earthrise composite dates to Jan 21, 2018, the timing for this APOD -- as with the Genesis reading and photos on Christmas Eve -- is certainly appropriate.
Everything comes around full circle, sooner or later.
"In the beginning, God.."
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