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Lot 265
[Apollo 11] BUZZ ALDRIN FACING THE CAMERA BESIDE LM EAGLE AND THE SOLAR WIND EXPERIMENT Neil Armstrong, 16-24 July 1969
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue Hoche€2,600 - €3,600
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[Apollo 11] BUZZ ALDRIN FACING THE CAMERA BESIDE LM EAGLE AND THE SOLAR WIND EXPERIMENT
Neil Armstrong, 16-24 July 1969
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS11-40-5873].
Numbered "NASA AS11-40-5873" in red in the top margin, with "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, originally laminated (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
The composition of this stunning image embodies the essence of the Apollo 11 mission—humanity's first presence on another world, marking the pinnacle of scientific exploration and technological achievement. Buzz Aldrin is standing in front of the Lunar Module Eagle, positioned beside the successfully deployed Solar Wind Experiment. Captured by Neil Armstrong, this image is notable as the first frontal image of Aldrin on the Moon, with Armstrong's silhouette and the surrounding lunar landscape beautifully reflected in Aldrin's gold-plated visor. The Eagle, draped in gold and black thermal insulation, serves as a striking backdrop, a stark contrast against the grey lunar surface. The long, sharp shadows stretching across the regolith emphasize the Moon's airless environment and the brilliance of the sunlight in space.
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS11-40-5873].
Numbered "NASA AS11-40-5873" in red in the top margin, with "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, originally laminated (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
The composition of this stunning image embodies the essence of the Apollo 11 mission—humanity's first presence on another world, marking the pinnacle of scientific exploration and technological achievement. Buzz Aldrin is standing in front of the Lunar Module Eagle, positioned beside the successfully deployed Solar Wind Experiment. Captured by Neil Armstrong, this image is notable as the first frontal image of Aldrin on the Moon, with Armstrong's silhouette and the surrounding lunar landscape beautifully reflected in Aldrin's gold-plated visor. The Eagle, draped in gold and black thermal insulation, serves as a striking backdrop, a stark contrast against the grey lunar surface. The long, sharp shadows stretching across the regolith emphasize the Moon's airless environment and the brilliance of the sunlight in space.
Footnotes
Aldrin stands in his pristine Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) strapped to his back, providing oxygen, cooling, and communication. The deployment of the Solar Wind Experiment marked an important scientific endeavour, designed to capture and study particles streaming from the Sun.
From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken:
110:03:20 Aldrin: Okay. You can make a mark, Houston. (Garbled)
110:03:24 McCandless (Mission Control): Roger. Solar Wind. (Pause)
110:03:36 Aldrin: And, incidentally, you can use the shadow that the staff (of the Solar Wind Collector) makes to assist you getting it perpendicular (to the Sun line).
Literature
Moon: Man's Greatest Adventure, Davis Thomas, ed., p. 182
Watch more
CLICK HERE: Apollo 11 Moonwalk Part 1 of 4