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Lot 212
[Apollo 10] ELECTRIFYING VIEW OF THE SUN RISING ABOVE THE MOON'S HORIZON John Young, Eugene Cernan, or Thomas Stafford, May 18-26, 1969
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue Hoche€700 - €1,000
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[Apollo 10] ELECTRIFYING VIEW OF THE SUN RISING ABOVE THE MOON'S HORIZON
John Young, Eugene Cernan, or Thomas Stafford, May 18-26, 1969
Printed 1969.
Vintage gelatin silver print on fibre-based paper [NASA image AS10-33-4961].
Numbered "NASA AS10-33-4961" in black in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
One of the earliest photographs of the sun rising over the lunar horizon, this exceptionally rare image was not released after the mission.
Captured during orbit 26, the view looks eastward over the Moon's nearside, showcasing the 49-km Crater Rhaeticus (right foreground, 1.6° N / 6.2° E) and Central Bay (left foreground). The 34-km Crater Godin is visible in the left background. Near the bottom right, in darkness, lies the unseen location of landing site 3, a potential site for the moon landing.
Captured through the 80mm lens, this breathtaking sunrise over the Moon's stark, cratered terrain highlights the desolate beauty of our celestial neighbour and the unprecedented perspectives enabled by space travel.
The astronauts were completely captivated by their otherworldly view from orbit, as Thomas Stafford remarked during orbit 18: "We're just watching, still loving to watch the moonscape go by and observing here as we go over to the terminator." (Apollo 10 Mission transcript)
Printed 1969.
Vintage gelatin silver print on fibre-based paper [NASA image AS10-33-4961].
Numbered "NASA AS10-33-4961" in black in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
One of the earliest photographs of the sun rising over the lunar horizon, this exceptionally rare image was not released after the mission.
Captured during orbit 26, the view looks eastward over the Moon's nearside, showcasing the 49-km Crater Rhaeticus (right foreground, 1.6° N / 6.2° E) and Central Bay (left foreground). The 34-km Crater Godin is visible in the left background. Near the bottom right, in darkness, lies the unseen location of landing site 3, a potential site for the moon landing.
Captured through the 80mm lens, this breathtaking sunrise over the Moon's stark, cratered terrain highlights the desolate beauty of our celestial neighbour and the unprecedented perspectives enabled by space travel.
The astronauts were completely captivated by their otherworldly view from orbit, as Thomas Stafford remarked during orbit 18: "We're just watching, still loving to watch the moonscape go by and observing here as we go over to the terminator." (Apollo 10 Mission transcript)