Apollo Earth images restored

A breathtaking view of the crescent Earth. One of the very first photographs of the whole Earth from space, and one of the most beautiful. It was taken the day before the famous photograph that adorned the Whole Earth Catalog (by satellite ATS-III) and just a day after the very first color photograph of the whole Earth (also by ATS-III). Through the clouds we see a slice of the Atlantic Ocean. Africa would be in the center of our view, but is in darkness. The shot was taken by an automatic camera onboard the unmanned Apollo 4 mission — the first flight of the Saturn V rocket. It is from a distance of 11,200 miles (18,000 km) (5 percent of the way to the Moon), near the apogee of the flight. It is the only image in this collection not taken with a Hasselblad camera and not taken by human hands.

The moment humans first saw the whole Earth with their own eyes. Floating in space, the Apollo 8 crew saw the Earth at this unexpected angle, with North to the lower left. It was taken on the way to the Moon, from a distance of 16,800 miles (27,000 km).

Jim Lovell: “Boy, it's really hard to describe what this Earth looks like. I'm looking out my center window, which is a round window, and the window is bigger than the earth is right now. I can clearly see the terminator. I can see most of South America, all the way up to Central America, Yucatan, and the peninsula of Florida. There is a big swirling motion just off the east coast, and then going on over toward the east, I can still see West Africa, which has a few clouds right now. We can see all the way down to Cape Horn in South America.”

Michael Collins: “Good grief, that must be quite a view.”

A view of Earth from the Lunar Module before it separated and descended to the lunar surface. Taken by Buzz Aldrin. The transcript reveals Aldrin was unsatisfied with the photograph: “I see the Earth, but it's a lousy picture. … I got the Earth down by the strut.”

However, the Lunar Module, bathed in a ghostly light, ready to make history, gives us much more of the feeling of being there than an unobscured image ever could.

Taken by the Apollo 11 crew on their way home. In this image, North is down. Near the center is the southern tip of Africa, pointing upwards. Sunlight glints off wetlands and rivers.

An underexposed photograph of a half-Earth hanging in the void. Looking closely, we can see the Americas beneath the clouds. It was taken by the crew of Apollo 12 shortly after leaving the Earth.

Ord's favorite image and the cover of The Precipice: A haunting crescent earthrise. It was taken by Richard Gordon, alone aboard the Command Module while the others were down on the lunar surface. Under the clouds lies the Indian Ocean.

A slender crescent Earth, taken by the crew of Apollo 12 on their way home. North is up. A sliver of the Pacific Ocean is visible, with clouds showing the pink and orange of sunset.

A study in blue and white. We can see half the Earth, with ice in the Arctic and clouds over the Pacific. Taken by the crew of Apollo 13 as they left the Earth on their ill-fated journey to the Moon. This was two days before the explosion.

A haunting image of a crescent Earth surrounded by reflections from the Lunar Module, where the crew of Apollo 13 had been taking shelter since the accident. Parts of Asia and the Indian Ocean can just be made out in what is almost indistinguishable from a crescent Moon. They were 50,000 miles (80,000 km) and seven hours away from safety.

A crescent Earth, glowing amidst the reflections from the Command Module's window. Taken by the crew of Apollo 14 on their way home.

“Eventually we must leave Earth — at least a certain number of our progeny must as our Sun approaches the end of its solar life cycle. But just as terrestrial explorers have always led the way for settlers, this will also happen extraterrestrially. Earth is our cradle, not our final destiny.” — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14

Earthrise from Apollo 15. It is not immediately obvious, but this photograph is in color. It was taken in this unusual orientation, with the lunar surface at the top and a thin crescent Earth hanging below. North is to the upper left. Alfred Worden, who took this photo, was deeply moved by his time alone in orbit around the Moon during Apollo 15.

After returning to Earth, he wrote these lines: Quietly, like a night bird, floating, soaring, wingless We glide from shore to shore, curving and falling but not quite touching; Earth: a distant memory seen in an instant of repose, crescent shaped, ethereal, beautiful, I wonder which part is home, but I know it doesn't matter… the bond is there in my mind and memory; Earth: a small, bubbly balloon hanging delicately in the nothingness of space.

One of the most famous photographs ever taken. The crew of Apollo 17 captured this image of the Earth five hours after liftoff — 18,000 miles (29,000 km) into their journey to the Moon. This final Apollo mission had a unique trajectory. It passed almost directly between the Earth and the Sun, allowing a photograph showing a very nearly “full Earth.” Only a tiny sliver (on the right) is still in darkness. One can trace the equator by its ring of clouds, giving the image a sense of depth.

Eugene Cernan: “And I suppose we're seeing as 100 percent full Earth as we'll ever see; certainly as I've ever seen. … it's about 99 percent pure. Bob, it's these kind of views that stick with you forever.”

Jack Schmitt: “I'll tell you, if there ever was a fragile-appearing piece of blue in space, it's the Earth right now.”

The last photograph of the whole Earth taken by human hands. At least for now. It was captured by the crew of Apollo 17 as they returned home.

“You have to literally just pinch yourself and ask yourself the question, silently: Do you know where you are at this point in time and space, and in reality and in existence, when you can look out the window and you’re looking at the most beautiful star in the heavens — the most beautiful because it’s the one we understand and we know, it’s home, it’s people, family, love, life — and besides that it is beautiful. You can see from pole to pole and across oceans and continents and you can watch it turn and there’s no strings holding it up, and it’s moving in a blackness that is almost beyond conception.” — Eugene Cernan, Apollo 10 & 17