652 a
Harrison Schmitt

The Lunar Rover parked near the American flag, seen from the LM window

Apollo 17, December 7-19, 1972, post EVA 2

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 AS17-140-21353” (NASA MSC) in red in top margin

652 b
Eugene Cernan

Portrait of Harrison Schmitt with the reflection of the photographer in his gold-plated visor

Apollo 17, December 7-19, 1972, EVA 3, 164:10:41 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 AS17-140-21386” (NASA MSC) in red in top margin
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

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Lot Essay

652 a
A frame from a panoramic sequence taken from the LM window; one of the LM thrusters is in the foreground.

“A parked rover awaits our return from sleep before we set out on the third EVA of Apollo 17’s surface exploration. We’ve parked it in an orientation that will minimize heating of its surfaces while we are eating and sleeping in the LM. Our activities around the LM have exposed dark soil beneath the lighter soil caused by our descent-engine exhaust,” remembered Harrison Schmitt (NASA SP-250, p.287).

“On the surface, when we went to bed at night, we could see the American flag out Schmitt’s window and (out Cernan’s window) we could see the Earth sitting right on top of the South Massif. Because of where we landed, the Earth was fairly low in the sky and was always part of the scene. Looking at the Earth was something you could do casually, and you would do many times without even realizing it. That was the neat part about it being so low in the sky,” noted Eugene Cernan (from the ALSJ mission transcript at 113:27:05 GET).

652 b
Cernan took this superb “tourist” portrait of Schmitt near the LM at the beginning of the last EVA.
Schmitt’s gold-plated visor reflects the photographer, the Rover, and the South Massif.
Schmitt is standing between the US flag and the Rover whose high-gain antenna is pointed at Earth.
Wessex Cleft and the Sculptured Hills forms the skyline in the background.

“Schmitt has his open checklist on his left wrist and the camera mounted on his chest-mounted Remote Control Unit (RCU). A packet of individual sample bags is hanging from his camera bracket. Note, also, the Rover sampler which Jack is either holding in his left hand or has attached to a waist-mounted ‘yo-yo’ tether” (ALSJ caption for AS17-140-21386).

164:10:26 Schmitt: (Carrying the scoop) I’m going to the SEP (transmitter).
164:10:27 Parker (Mission Control): Okay, Jack.
164:10:28 Cernan: Wait a minute before you do. You got a second? Just come over here by the left front wheel. (Pause)
164:10:41 Cernan: I know you got a second. Just a little bit closer to the left front wheel, towards me. Ah; that’s good, anywhere in there. (Pause, taking Jack’s picture) Wait a minute.