Born on August 23
First Photo of Earth from the Moon
Home, seen from 380,000 km away.
Next: August 23, 2027
Where it comes from
This Story marks the anniversary of 23 August 1966, when NASA's Lunar Orbiter 1 sent back the first picture of Earth taken from the vicinity of the Moon. The spacecraft had been sent to photograph the lunar surface and scout landing sites ahead of the Apollo missions.
How it's celebrated
There is no formal observance. NASA has published both the grainy 1966 picture and a much sharper version restored in 2008, so anyone can compare them online. It is also a good evening to step outside, find the Moon, and imagine looking back from there at our own small, bright planet.
Did you know
NASA sent five Lunar Orbiter missions in the late 1960s to photograph the Moon before the Apollo landings.
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Star sign
Virgo · August 23 – September 22 · Earth sign
Careful and kind, the one who notices what everyone else missed.