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Heroes

Over 8,000 photos taken by astronauts going to the moon just dropped. These 14 will get you started.

Well, this is just cool.

Over 8,000 images taken by astronauts on their trips to the moon just dropped online thanks to the Project Apollo Archive, NASA, and Kipp Teague.

Here are 14 of them.

They're out there. Literally. But there's something about them that's just so human ... they kinda remind me of some pictures I've taken (albeit not on the moon).

Here are some of my favs.


1. Classic Earthrise!

This one was taken on a lunar orbit mission. There are so many photos of the Earth rising over the moon in the archive, it's adorable. You can almost FEEL the awe through the camera! Is there anyone who doesn't love a good Earthrise?

2. A classic "OMG I'M ON MOON GROUND" shot

There were also a TON of these shots. I get it! I'd be kinda obsessed with the moon ground too.

3. Old-school spacewalk!

Can you even believe that spacewalks happened before technological advances like, say, the Internet? I know they're not related, but it just blows my mind that people were taking spacewalks in the 1960s. That's around 50 years ago!

4. Moonman with bag

The only question that remains: "Is he smiling?"

5. The shadow shot!

Who hasn't taken one of these? The answer: not many! (Because a total of 12 people have walked on the moon). I personally have taken so many "Ooo my shadow looks cool and I don't feel like taking a selfie" shots when the sun was in a good place. Astronauts — they take shadow selfies too.

6. That one picture of your friend playing

I get it, he wanted to go for a walk.

7. That time you wanted to get the cool rock but your friend got in the way...

...but it made the picture even better because you could see how big the rock was!

8. Awkward exiting of the vehicle picture!

"Dude, I didn't even know you were taking pictures! Geez!" — imagined reaction of that spaceman leaving his spacecraft after he realizes his friend was taking pictures.

9. That time you got excited because your footprint stayed in one piece and it looked like a rock or art or something!

There's no wind on the moon, so it's easier to capture this moment ... but still.

10. Another classic: the "doesn't my foot look cool"

Hey, you can't deny the composition and the negative space going on here. Artful.

11. The "You go first" shot

"I'll be right down!"

12. The "ooo my shadow looks really tall" with a bonus pop of color

You know you'd take this picture. I know I would! Tall shadow! America! Craters! Extra points for the cool footprints in the lower half of the picture too.

13. The "feeling weird and upside down right now"

We've all taken a picture to verify we feel as weird as we do. I'm kinda glad he captured this moment!

According to the uploader, Kipp Teague, "every photo taken on the lunar surface by astronauts with their chest-mounted Hasselblad cameras is included in the collection, along with numerous other Hasselblad photos shot from Earth and lunar orbit, as well as during the journey between the two."

Amazing.

Lastly, here's an image from the final mission to the moon:

14. Sad last journey moment

Home base (the Apollo 17 Lunar Module "Challenger") is a long way away in this 500mm telephoto view taken during NASA's final mission to the Moon in December, 1972.
A photo posted by Kipp Teague (@retroweb) on


Image credits: All photographs by NASA/ The Project Apollo Archive via Flickr. Also important to note: These images are online in large part because of the work of Kipp Teague, head of the Project Apollo Archive!

Wow. If you want to see more, you can head over to The Project Apollo Archive (all 8,400+ images!) on Flickr.

But if you really really wanna see more, keep supporting space travel, NASA, and just lovin' space. It's as easy as staying curious — and always looking to the sky.

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