MVP Archive History | Apollo Archive 03-1 : Earthrise

Basic Information

Name: Earthrise
Date Taken: December 24, 1968
Mission: Apollo 8
Photographer: William Anders
Location: Lunar Orbit
Equipment: Hasselblad 500EL 70mm film

What is Earthrise

Earthrise is a photograph taken during the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission.
The photo shows the Earth rising over the lunar horizon.
On December 24, 1968, the Apollo 8 crew witnessed this sight while transitioning from the far side of the Moon to the near side.
William Anders captured that moment in a photograph.

Background of the Photograph

Apollo 8 was the first human mission to orbit the Moon.
Until then, humanity had only viewed space from Earth.
However, Apollo 8 made it possible to view Earth from space for the first time.
Earthrise is an iconic record of that achievement.

What is in the Photograph

Visible at the bottom of the photo is the lunar surface.
Floating beyond it is the blue sphere of Earth.
In reality, the Earth was not rising; it was a change in perspective caused by the movement of the spacecraft.
Even so, to the crew, it appeared as if the Earth had emerged from the horizon.

Technical Information

Camera: Hasselblad 500EL
Film: Kodak Ektachrome 70mm
Position: Lunar Orbit
Estimated Distance: Approx. 380,000 km

Impact

Earthrise is considered one of the most representative photographs of the 20th century.
This photo helped share the perspective of viewing Earth from the outside with the world.
It is also said to have influenced the perception of Earth as a single planet and contributed to the growing interest in environmental issues.

Aftermath

Earthrise is still widely used today by NASA, educational institutions, and museums.
It remains a symbol of the Apollo program and a record of humanity seeing its own world from the outside for the first time.