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Lot 216
[Apollo 10] STRIKING PANORAMA OF LANDING SITE 1 IN THE SEA OF TRANQUILLITY Eugene Cernan, May 18-26, 1969
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue HocheSold for €537.60 inc. premium
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[Apollo 10] STRIKING PANORAMA OF LANDING SITE 1 IN THE SEA OF TRANQUILLITY
Eugene Cernan, May 18-26, 1969
Printed 1969.
Original montage of four gelatin silver prints on fibre-based paper collaged together [NASA image AS10-31-4589 to AS10-31-4595].
Numbered between "NASA AS10-31-4589" and "NASA AS10-31-4595" in black in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
Overall size: 32 x 44 cm. (12 5/8 x 17 3/8 in.)
Historical context
This extremely rare Apollo 10 panorama captures a detailed view of the proposed Landing Site 1 in the south-eastern Sea of Tranquillity, near the 33-km-wide Crater Maskelyne D (partially visible at the top left).
This composite image was taken with the Hasselblad equipped with the 250 mm lens during orbit 24, as the crew meticulously documented potential Apollo landing sites, providing an unparalleled close-up of the lunar surface, highlighting the region's rugged terrain and cratered landscape.
The mission transcript reflects their focused observations:
122:26:55 Cernan: Let me get the site through it [the Hasselblad camera].
122:27:11 Cernan: Landing Site 1 [garble].
This telephoto mosaic was crucial in assessing the terrain's suitability for the first Moon landing, revealing surface features in high resolution. While this site was ultimately not chosen—Landing Site 2 in the Sea of Tranquillity was selected for Apollo 11—these images played a vital role in refining landing strategies and identifying safe zones for future missions, bringing humankind within reach of its first lunar footsteps.
Printed 1969.
Original montage of four gelatin silver prints on fibre-based paper collaged together [NASA image AS10-31-4589 to AS10-31-4595].
Numbered between "NASA AS10-31-4589" and "NASA AS10-31-4595" in black in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
Overall size: 32 x 44 cm. (12 5/8 x 17 3/8 in.)
Historical context
This extremely rare Apollo 10 panorama captures a detailed view of the proposed Landing Site 1 in the south-eastern Sea of Tranquillity, near the 33-km-wide Crater Maskelyne D (partially visible at the top left).
This composite image was taken with the Hasselblad equipped with the 250 mm lens during orbit 24, as the crew meticulously documented potential Apollo landing sites, providing an unparalleled close-up of the lunar surface, highlighting the region's rugged terrain and cratered landscape.
The mission transcript reflects their focused observations:
122:26:55 Cernan: Let me get the site through it [the Hasselblad camera].
122:27:11 Cernan: Landing Site 1 [garble].
This telephoto mosaic was crucial in assessing the terrain's suitability for the first Moon landing, revealing surface features in high resolution. While this site was ultimately not chosen—Landing Site 2 in the Sea of Tranquillity was selected for Apollo 11—these images played a vital role in refining landing strategies and identifying safe zones for future missions, bringing humankind within reach of its first lunar footsteps.
Footnotes
Watch more
CLICK HERE: Apollo 10 - To Sort Out The Unknowns (1969)