Astronomy Gallery

Rising Earth about five degrees above the lunar horizon

This December, 1968 NASA file image shows the rising Earth is about five degrees above the lunar horizon in this telephoto view taken from the Apollo 8 spacecraft. The horizon, about 570 kilometers (250 statute miles) from the spacecraft, is near the eastern limb of the Moon as viewed from the Earth. On the earth, the sunset terminator crosses Africa. The south pole is in the white area near the left end of the terminator. North and South America are under the clouds. The lunar surface probably has less pronounced color than indicated by this print. AFP PHOTO/NASA / AFP PHOTO / NASA / HO

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Us-Space-Apollo 13-Moon

A NASA picture shows a partial view of the Moon from inside the Apollo 13 lunar module in April 1970. The third Apollo manned mission to the Moon launched on April 11, 1970 was cancelled due to onboard explosion. The crew had to leave the command module and climb into the LEM (Lunar Exploration Module). The three astronauts used primitive celestial navigation techniques to determine where they were and how to get back to earth. Despite continued peril, their calculations worked and on 17 April 1970 Apollo XIII splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean with all occupants intact. Astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr., John L. Swigert and Fred W. Haise, Jr. were rescued in good condition after command module Odyssey splashed down safely in the Pacific. / AFP PHOTO / NASA

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