406 a
Alan Bean

Crescent Earth over the lunar horizon, seen from the LM during the descent to the lunar surface

Apollo 12, November 14-24, 1969, orbit 14, 109:44:20 GET

Unreleased photograph, vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA AS12-47-6894” (NASA MSC) in red in top margin

406 b
Richard Gordon

Earth from lunar orbit, seen from the CSM Yankee Clipper after separation from the LM Intrepid

Apollo 12, November 14-24, 1969, orbit 14, 109:51:00 GET

Unreleased photograph, vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA AS12-51-7513” (NASA MSC) in red in top margin
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

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Lot Essay

406 a
The photograph was taken looking west with the 80mm lens. The floor and western wall of the giant 233-km Crater Pasteur is in the foreground.

109:44:30 Carr (Mission Control): Intrepid, Houston. How do you read?
109:44:33 Conrad: Hello, Houston; Intrepid. Roger. We read you loud and clear, and we just watched our first Earthrise, which was fantastic!

406 b
As Bean and Conrad were descending to the lunar surface in the LM, Gordon took this photograph of Earth from the orbiting Command Module through the 80mm lens.

Conrad and Bean commented the same view from the LM:
109:51:00 Bean: (To Carr) You’re (that is, Earth is) about 30 degrees above our horizon now, Houston; and you’re about a one-third crescent moon, and you really are beautiful. Big blues and whites.
109:51:31 Carr (Mission Control): Roger, Al. (Pause) We put on our Sunday best for you.
109:51:41 Bean: We’re pretty well suited out up here ourselves.

“The views of the Earth from lunar distances are spectacular because of the magnificence of the Earth, standing out there in the void against a black background, the velvet of space.”
Richard Gordon (Schick and Van Haaften, p.78)