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[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the iconic first color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans William Anders, 21–27 December 1968 image 1
[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the iconic first color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans William Anders, 21–27 December 1968 image 2
[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the iconic first color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans William Anders, 21–27 December 1968 image 3
[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the iconic first color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans William Anders, 21–27 December 1968 image 4
Lot 170

[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the iconic first color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans
William Anders, 21–27 December 1968

FOR ALL MANKIND: THE ARTISTIC LEGACY OF EARLY SPACE EXPLORATION: Victor Martin-Malburet Collection
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue Hoche

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[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the iconic first color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans

William Anders, 21–27 December 1968

Printed 1968.

Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS8-14-2383].
Numbered "NASA image AS8-14-2383" in red in the top margin, with NASA caption and "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).

20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)

Historical context
This iconic photograph captures what is arguably the most awe-inspiring sight ever witnessed by humanity—an image that forever changed our perception of our place in the universe, made us recognize the fragility of our planet, and fostered a sense of global consciousness.
William Anders took this historic photograph of Earth rising over the lunar horizon using the Hasselblad 500EL equipped with a 250mm telephoto lens and colour magazine 14/D, looking west across the western shore of Crater Pasteur on the lunar far side.
"That was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen—the Earthrise. Totally unanticipated.
Because we were trained to go to the Moon. [...] We were trained to get there. So, getting there was the big event. [...] It wasn't going to the Moon and looking back at the Earth. I never even thought about that!"
—William Anders (Chaikin, Voices, p. 45)

Footnotes

[NASA caption] APOLLO 8 EARTH VIEW - - The rising Earth is about five degrees above the lunar horizon in this telephoto view taken from the Apollo 8 spacecraft near 110 degrees east longitude. The horizon, about 570 kilometres (350 statute miles) from the spacecraft, is near the eastern limb of the Moon as viewed from Earth. Width of the view at the horizon is about 150 kilometres (95 statute miles). On Earth 240,000 statute miles away 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 has less pronounced colour than indicated by this print.

From the mission transcript (photograph taken T+075:48:39 GET after launch):

075:47:46 Anders: Hand me that roll of color quick, will you...
075:47:48 Lovell: Oh man, that's great!
075:47:50 Anders: ... Hurry. Quick.
075:47:54 Borman: Gee.
075:47:55 Lovell: It's down here?
075:47:56 Anders: Just grab me a color. That color exterior.
075:48:00 Lovell: [Garble].
075:48:01 Anders: Hurry up!
075:48:06 Borman: Got one?
075:48:08 Anders: Yeah, I'm looking for one.
075:48:10 Lovell: C 368. [Anders is handed color magazine 14/D; 368 refers to film type, SO-368, an Ektachrome-type transparency film manufactured by Kodak]
075:48:11 Anders: Anything, quick.
075:48:13 Lovell: Here.
075:48:17 Anders: Well, I think we missed it.
075:48:31 Lovell: Hey, I got it right here! [In the hatch window.]
075:48:33 Anders: Let - let me get it out this window. It's a lot clearer.
075:48:37 Lovell: Bill, I got it framed; it's very clear right here.
075:48:42 Borman: Well, take several of them.
075:48:43 Lovell: Take several of them! Here, give it to me.

Literature
LIFE, 10 January 1969, pp. 20-21
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, May 1969, pp. 596-597
NEWSWEEK, 7 July 1969, cover
TIME, 10 January 1969, p. 41
The View from Space: American Astronaut Photography, 1962–1972, Schick and Van Haaften, p. 98
Space: A History of Space Exploration in Photographs, Chaikin, p. 83
Airborne Camera: The World from the Air of Outer Space, Newhall, pp. 136-137
Apollo: Through the Eyes of the Astronauts, Jacobs, p. 32
Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon, Reynolds, p. 111

Watch more
CLICK HERE: A New Look at NASA's Apollo 8 'Earthrise'

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