Taken by an Automatic 16mm Camera mounted to the window of Eagle

The astronauts planting the American flag on the lunar surface

Apollo 11, July 16-24, 1969, 110:09:50 GET

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with NASA MSC caption and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA S-69-40308” in red in top margin
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

Thomas, p. 194.

Paris, Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, La Lune: Du Voyage Réel aux Voyages Imaginaires, April-July 2019; exhibition catalogue, p. 23, no. 13, illustrated.

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Lot Essay

A rare image showing the two astronauts on the Moon.

“During a pause in experiments, Neil suggested we proceed with the flag. It took both of us to set it up and it was nearly a disaster. Public Relations obviously needs practice just as everything else does. A small telescoping arm was attached to the flagpole to keep the flag extended and perpendicular. As hard as we tried, the telescope wouldn’t fully extend. Thus the flags which should have been flat, had its own unique permanent wave,” recalled Buzz Aldrin (NASA SP-350, p. 216).

The scene was described by Mission Control in Houston to Michael Collins orbiting the Moon in Columbia.

110:09:05 McCandless (Mission Control): The EVA is progressing beautifully. I believe they are setting up the flag now.
110:09:14 Collins: Great!
110:09:18 McCandless: I guess you’re about the only person around that doesn’t have TV coverage of the scene.
110:09:25 Collins: That’s all right. I don’t mind a bit. (Pause) How is the quality of the TV?
110:09:35 McCandless: Oh, it’s beautiful, Mike. It really is.
110:09:39 Collins: Oh, gee, that’s great! Is the lighting halfway decent?
110:09:43 McCandless: Yes, indeed. They’ve got the flag up now and you can see the stars and stripes on the lunar surface.
110:09:50 Collins: Beautiful. Just beautiful.

“They’ve got the flag up now and you can see the stars and stripes on the lunar surface.”
Bruce McCandless (Mission Control)

“Beautiful. Just beautiful.”
Michael Collins