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Lot 305
[Apollo 12] COVER OF LIFE: Alan Bean shines with a blue halo at the Ocean of Storms scientific site Pete Conrad, 14-24 November 1969, EVA 1
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue HocheSold for €1,024 inc. premium
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[Apollo 12] COVER OF LIFE: Alan Bean shines with a blue halo at the Ocean of Storms scientific site
Pete Conrad, 14-24 November 1969, EVA 1
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS12-46-6826].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA AS12-46-6826" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
This timeless photograph graced the cover of LIFE magazine (APOLLO 12 ON THE MOON, December 12, 1969). Captured by Pete Conrad near a small mound, the image provides a striking view of Alan Bean at the research site—also known as the ALSEP site—where he is working near the seismometer.
At the time, many speculated about the mysterious halo-like aura surrounding Bean in the image. The original NASA caption for the photograph stated, "Alan Bean's extravehicular manoeuvring unit is surrounded by a halo of light as he deploys instruments of ALSEP on Ocean of Storms near Intrepid landing site."
"Everybody was trying to figure out what that aura was. Neither Al or I remember seeing the other guy putting the stuff out, but the film picked it up. The conclusion was that the halos were water vapor ice crystals coming out of the water boilers on our backpacks."
—Pete Conrad (Schick and Van Haaften, p. 47)
However, later analysis revealed that the blue glow around Bean was actually due to a dust smudge on the camera lens.
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS12-46-6826].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA AS12-46-6826" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
This timeless photograph graced the cover of LIFE magazine (APOLLO 12 ON THE MOON, December 12, 1969). Captured by Pete Conrad near a small mound, the image provides a striking view of Alan Bean at the research site—also known as the ALSEP site—where he is working near the seismometer.
At the time, many speculated about the mysterious halo-like aura surrounding Bean in the image. The original NASA caption for the photograph stated, "Alan Bean's extravehicular manoeuvring unit is surrounded by a halo of light as he deploys instruments of ALSEP on Ocean of Storms near Intrepid landing site."
"Everybody was trying to figure out what that aura was. Neither Al or I remember seeing the other guy putting the stuff out, but the film picked it up. The conclusion was that the halos were water vapor ice crystals coming out of the water boilers on our backpacks."
—Pete Conrad (Schick and Van Haaften, p. 47)
However, later analysis revealed that the blue glow around Bean was actually due to a dust smudge on the camera lens.
Footnotes
Literature
LIFE magazine, APOLLO 12 ON THE MOON, 12 December 1969, cover
Full Moon, Light, plate 55
The View from Space: American Astronaut Photography 1962-1972, Schick and Van Haaften, p. 47
Moon, Man's greatest adventure, Thomas, ed., p. 260