Photo of the Day

Earthrise

Sunday 11 October 2026

A half-lit blue and white Earth rising above the grey, cratered horizon of the Moon against black space — Photograph · 24 December 1968

Bill Anders took this photo from lunar orbit on Christmas Eve 1968 during Apollo 8, the first crewed mission to the Moon. It shows Earth rising over the lunar horizon.

Fun facts

Anders grabbed a black-and-white shot first, then the crew scrambled to find a color film magazine. source ↗
It's usually shown rotated. As taken, the Moon's horizon ran up the side of the frame. source ↗
The Apollo 8 crew were the first people to see the whole Earth with their own eyes. source ↗
It's often credited with helping inspire the environmental movement and the first Earth Day in 1970. source ↗

Image: Bill Anders / NASA
Licence: Public domain
Source: Wikimedia Commons