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Lot 256
[Apollo 11] BUZZ ALDRIN WALKING ACROSS THE SEA OF TRANQUILLITY WITH SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT Neil Armstrong, 16-24 July 1969
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue Hoche€1,500 - €2,000
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[Apollo 11] BUZZ ALDRIN WALKING ACROSS THE SEA OF TRANQUILLITY WITH SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT
Neil Armstrong, 16-24 July 1969
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on early resin coated Kodak paper [NASA image AS11-40-5942].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
Captured by Neil Armstrong, this image is profoundly symbolic: Aldrin's solitary figure, silhouetted against the barren expanse of the Moon, emphasizes both the immensity of space exploration and the isolation of the astronauts, nearly a quarter-million miles from Earth. The long shadows stretching behind him, caused by the low-angle sunlight, further reinforce the surreal and stark environment of Tranquillity Base.
Aldrin carries two critical scientific instruments—the Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE) and the Laser Ranging Retroreflector (LRRR)—as he searches for a suitable deployment site.
The American flag patch on Aldrin's Portable Life Support System (PLSS) symbolizes the achievement of the Apollo program, yet this image transcends national pride—it marks humanity's first scientific endeavour on another world.
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on early resin coated Kodak paper [NASA image AS11-40-5942].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
Captured by Neil Armstrong, this image is profoundly symbolic: Aldrin's solitary figure, silhouetted against the barren expanse of the Moon, emphasizes both the immensity of space exploration and the isolation of the astronauts, nearly a quarter-million miles from Earth. The long shadows stretching behind him, caused by the low-angle sunlight, further reinforce the surreal and stark environment of Tranquillity Base.
Aldrin carries two critical scientific instruments—the Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE) and the Laser Ranging Retroreflector (LRRR)—as he searches for a suitable deployment site.
The American flag patch on Aldrin's Portable Life Support System (PLSS) symbolizes the achievement of the Apollo program, yet this image transcends national pride—it marks humanity's first scientific endeavour on another world.
Footnotes
The instruments Aldrin carries were part of the first scientific experiments ever deployed on another world. The Passive Seismic Experiment was designed to detect moonquakes and provided critical insights into the Moon's internal structure, while the Laser Ranging Retroreflector allowed precise measurement of the distance between Earth and the Moon.
Literature
Moon: Man's Greatest Adventure, Thomas, ed., p. 199
Full Moon, Light, plate 50