How does the Earth look from the Moon to the astronauts?

As we pass the moon – some quarter million miles (about 380,000 km) away – Earth looks like a bright ball in space. It’s not terribly different from the way the moon looks to us. EarthSky lunar calendars show the moon phase for every day in 2021. Earth seen from moon via Apollo 8 astronauts in 1968.

What did the Apollo astronauts discover about the Moon’s surface?

— The Apollo 11 mission showed that the Moon formed hot, that it was magmatically active for at least 800 million years, and that the surface-blanket of dusty rubble contains a treasure trove of evidence of how the Moon formed.

When was the first picture of Earth from the Moon taken?

August 23, 1966
On August 23, 1966, the Lunar Orbiter 1 took an unplanned photograph during its 16th orbit around the moon. That photo is the first view of the Earth taken from the vicinity of the moon.

How did pictures from the Moon get sent to Earth?

To send their photos back to Earth, the CORONA program dropped film from space in capsules equipped with heat shields for protection during re-entry, thrusters for steering and stabilization, and parachutes to slow their fall.

How far away was the Moon from the Earth when Apollo 11 launched?

Timeline of the 1969 Moon Landing After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19.

Can you see the whole Earth from the Moon?

If you were on the near side of the Moon, the Earth would always be in the sky. And if you were on the far side, you’d never see it. The face of the Earth would be illuminated, and you’d see the entire planet turning throughout the day and you could use it to cheat on Geography tests.

Can you see Earth from the Moon?

The Earth is seen from the lunar surface to rotate, with a period of approximately one Earth day (differing slightly due to the Moon’s orbital motion). If the Moon’s rotation were purely synchronous, Earth would not have any noticeable movement in the Moon’s sky.