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The Apollo 8 mission was launched on 21st December 1968, returning to
Earth on 27th December, The crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill
Anders orbited the Moon ten times. Perhaps the most iconic image from
the mission is that of the Earth rising above the lunar horizon –
Earthrise. Although this had occurred in the first three orbits, the
astronauts were too busy examining the lunar surface to see
it. However, in the fourth orbit, Anders was startled to see a glowing
blue and white ball swim into view above the lunar horizon – the
Earth! As Hamish Lindsay put it
in his account of the mission, "This is the picture that first
showed Earthlings their fragile but beautiful planet alone in the
Cosmos, and changed their perception of their place in the Universe
for the rest of time." (Image credit: Bill Anders and
honeysucklecreek.net)
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