Details
Michael Collins

The Full Moon after transEarth injection, showing a hemisphere not visible from Earth

Apollo 11, July 16-24, 1969, 136:15:40 GET

Vintage chromogenic print on resin coated Kodak paper with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso.
20.3 x 20.3cm (8 x 8in)
Special notice
This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.
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Lot Essay

This view of the full Moon never seen before the space age was taken with the 80mm lens as the Apollo 11 spacecraft was 2,300 nautical miles (4,300 km) from the Moon. The Moon is centered on a point between the Sea of Crisis and the Sea of Fertility.

“A full Moon, but not a Moon familiar to humans. This is a new Moon in the sense that it was one that had been walked upon by humans. This is a Moon that Michael Collins photographed as Apollo 11 departed the Earth. The Earthward face is to the top, the far side is to the bottom, and the geometry of the situation meant that on Earth, located off camera to the top, anyone looking would see a half Moon. The large, isolated dark marking near the center is the Sea of Crisis with which humans are familiar as appearing near the Moon’s limb” (Mailer, p.493).

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