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Lot 362
[Apollo 15] CRATER HUMBOLDT FROM LUNAR ORBIT Alfred Worden, 26 July - 7 August 1971
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue HocheSold for €307.20 inc. premium
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[Apollo 15] CRATER HUMBOLDT FROM LUNAR ORBIT
Alfred Worden, 26 July - 7 August 1971
Printed 1971.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS15-93-12644].
Numbered "NASA AS15-93-12644" in red in the top margin, with "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, with three filing holes in the top margin not affecting the image (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas).
25.4 x 20.3 cm. (10 x 8 in.)
Historical context
Crater Humboldt: a mesmerizing telephoto view from lunar orbit.
This remarkable image captures Crater Humboldt, one of the Moon's largest and most complex impact craters, as seen from Apollo 15 during its 71st orbit. Taken with a 250 mm telephoto lens, the image reveals the intricate details of Humboldt's rugged terrain, including fractured floors, central peaks, and secondary cratering, all shaped by ancient lunar geological processes.
Located on the southeastern limb of the Moon, Humboldt spans approximately 207 km (129 miles) in diameter and features an extensive system of rilles and radial cracks, which are particularly visible in this high-resolution photograph. These fractures are believed to be the result of volcanic activity and crustal stress following the impact that formed the crater.
Apollo 15, the first of the "J-series" missions, revolutionized lunar exploration with its advanced scientific objectives and extended stay on the Moon. From orbit, Command Module Pilot Alfred Worden imaged the lunar surface in unprecedented detail and beauty.
Printed 1971.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS15-93-12644].
Numbered "NASA AS15-93-12644" in red in the top margin, with "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, with three filing holes in the top margin not affecting the image (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas).
25.4 x 20.3 cm. (10 x 8 in.)
Historical context
Crater Humboldt: a mesmerizing telephoto view from lunar orbit.
This remarkable image captures Crater Humboldt, one of the Moon's largest and most complex impact craters, as seen from Apollo 15 during its 71st orbit. Taken with a 250 mm telephoto lens, the image reveals the intricate details of Humboldt's rugged terrain, including fractured floors, central peaks, and secondary cratering, all shaped by ancient lunar geological processes.
Located on the southeastern limb of the Moon, Humboldt spans approximately 207 km (129 miles) in diameter and features an extensive system of rilles and radial cracks, which are particularly visible in this high-resolution photograph. These fractures are believed to be the result of volcanic activity and crustal stress following the impact that formed the crater.
Apollo 15, the first of the "J-series" missions, revolutionized lunar exploration with its advanced scientific objectives and extended stay on the Moon. From orbit, Command Module Pilot Alfred Worden imaged the lunar surface in unprecedented detail and beauty.
Footnotes
Literature
National Geographic, The mountains of the Moon, February 1972, pp. 252-254 (variant)