Picturing Earth, Inspiring Artists, and Shifting Perspectives
Feb 08, 2022
Photographs of the Earth from the Moon taken by Apollo astronauts had a huge impact back on Earth. From changing how humans viewed the fragility of Earth, to inspiring artists across the globe, explore the history of two such photographs.
Earthrise
The most famous photograph from Apollo 8 was barely planned, appearing as a tiny note in the mission plans for astronaut photography. During the spontaneous moment on the fourth orbit, Lunar Module Pilot William Anders grabbed a Hasselblad camera and snapped one of the most iconic images of the space age.
As Anders saw it, the Earth “rose” from the Moon’s side, not over the top as usually depicted in the landscape format. Whether Anders knew it or not, his photo recreated an image taken by the unpiloted Lunar Orbiter probe two years earlier. But a person took this picture. Since that moment, artists the world over have reinterpreted Earthrise.
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Turkish artist Derman Uzunoglu drew upon his interest in Byzantine mosaics for this rendering of the “Earthrise” photograph, painted with acrylic on canvas in 1974. The intent of his artwork, he said, was to bring together science, social, and philosophical achievements with the possibility they would relay a message about tomorrow.
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Whole Earth
Before Apollo 17, lunar astronauts never saw the Earth as a fully lit globe. A photograph of the “full Earth” was simply not possible because of the alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. Apollo 17 was the only lunar mission that had the opportunity to capture such an image.
The "Whole Earth" photograph taken by the Apollo 17 crew. (Courtesy of NASA)
The Whole Earth image was taken by Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt and soon became well known. The image shifted the cultural perception of our planet to one of fragility. The environmental movement, which had celebrated the first Earth Day only two years earlier, adopted the image as its symbol. The image also inspired artists. Artist Angela Manno frequently used the image in her work.
Angela Manno replicates the Whole Earth image in this piece. Manno placed a quotation the bottom of the batik from Apollo 14 astronaut Ed Mitchell reading ““It was a beautiful, harmonious, peaceful—looking planet, blue with white clouds and one that gave you a deep sense…of home, of being, of identity.” The quote mirrors what many others have said about how the global implications of the Apollo 17 image reshaped their views about humanity’s relationship to our planet.
The Earth not only seems more delicate because of the Whole Earth photograph, but it also has a spaceship–like quality when seen alone against the vastness of space. The quote Manno chose for this artwork, “The greatest fallout of the space program was not a close–up view of the Moon, but a look at spaceship Earth from afar. For the first time in the history of humanity, we were able to see our planet for what it really is” from Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, former president of the University of Notre Dame, works together with the artwork to express the uniqueness of life on Earth.
What do the photographs inspire you to think of?
For more information, check out this episode of STEM in 30:
The people of Earth didn't see a photo of our planet until the late 1960s. Photos of Earth changed the way we think about our planet. In this webcast, the STEM in 30 team look at the beginnings of Earth Day and how a better understanding of our place in the universe has evolved through photographic scientific discoveries.
This program is made possible through the generous support of Boeing.
See more from STEM in 30: http://airandspace.si.edu/stemin30
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