events
Apollo program: The crew of Apollo 8 enters into orbit around the Moon, becoming the first humans to do so. They performed ten lunar orbits, took the Earthrise photograph, broadcast live TV pictures, and read the first ten verses of Genesis.
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Apollo program
1961–1972 American crewed lunar exploration program
The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the United States human spaceflight program led by NASA, which landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969. Apollo was conceived during Project Mercury and executed after Project Gemini. It was conceived in 1960 as a…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Apollo 8
First crewed space mission to orbit the Moon
Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave Earth's gravitational sphere of influence, and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. The crew orbited the Moon ten times without landing and then returned to Earth. The three astronauts—Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Moon
Natural satellite orbiting Earth
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It orbits around Earth at an average distance of 384,399 kilometres (238,854 mi); about 30 times Earth's diameter. Its orbital period and its rotation period are synchronized at 29.5 days by Earth's gravity pulling on the Moon. This…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Lunar orbit
Orbit of an object around the Moon
In astronomy and spaceflight, a lunar orbit is an orbit by an object around Earth's Moon. In general these orbits are not circular. When farthest from the Moon a spacecraft is said to be at apolune, apocynthion, or aposelene. When closest to the Moon it is said to be at…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Earthrise
Photograph of Earth taken from lunar orbit
Earthrise is a photograph of Earth and part of the Moon's surface that was taken from lunar orbit by astronaut William Anders on December 24, 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission. Nature photographer Galen Rowell described it as "the most influential environmental photograph ever…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Apollo 8 Genesis reading
Reading of the Book of Genesis by Apollo 8 crewmembers
On Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968, the crew of Apollo 8, the first humans to orbit the Moon, read from the Book of Genesis during a television broadcast. During their ninth orbit of the Moon astronauts Bill Anders, Jim Lovell, and Frank Borman recited verses 1 through 10 of…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
December 24
Day of the year
December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; seven days remain until the end of the year.Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)