The Apollo 8 astronauts, led by Commander Frank Borman of Tucson, were the first humans to see the entire Earth as a globe suspended in space, at Christmas time in 1968.
Left to right: Frank Borman, commander, and his Apollo 8 crewmates William A. Anders and James A. Lovell, Jr., a few days before their Christmas 1968 journey to the moon.
Fifty-five years ago, on Christmas Eve of 1968, Tucson astronaut and hometown legend Frank Borman and his Apollo 8 crew maneuvered into lunar orbit.
As they circled the moon, they read from the Book of Genesis in a live telecast from the orbiter:
βIn the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.β
Borman ended the broadcast with, βAnd from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you β all of you on the good Earth.β
It was on the crewβs fourth of 10 orbits that astronaut William Anders snapped the iconic βEarthriseβ photo showing a blue and white Earth rising above the gray lunar landscape.
βItβs arguably the most iconic photograph of the 20th century: the Earth rising above the Moonβs bleached and desolate horizon, a breathtaking jewel of color,β Smithsonian magazine has written.
Borman later wrote about how the Earth looked from afar:
βWe were the first humans to see the world in its majestic totality, an intensely emotional experience for each of us. We said nothing to each other, but I was sure our thoughts were identical β of our families on that spinning globe. And maybe we shared another thought I had, This must be what God sees.β
The mission commanded by Borman paved the way for the first moon landing the following year.
Borman, who grew up in Tucson, died this year, on Nov. 7, at the age of 95.
Retired NASA astronaut Frank Borman speaks with children from Mission Manor Elementary School Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010, in Tucson, Ariz. about his trips to space. Col. Borman served as commander of the Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 missions in the 1960s. (Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star)
This Lunar Sample was given to astronaut Frank Borman, who led the first team of American astronauts to leave Earth's orbit and circle the Moon on Apollo 8, by Astronaut and Senior NASA representative Mark Polansky, during Pima Air & Space Museum's 30th anniversary celebration, Monday May 8, 2006 in Tucson, Ariz. Photo by James S. Wood Arizona Daily Star
Trevor Stramler, 4, shakes the hand of astronaut Frank Borman, who led the first team of American astornauts to leave Earth's orbit and circle the Moon on Apollo 8, while trevor's parents Edward Stramler, and Kerrie Stramler, look on during Pima Air & Space Museum's 30th anniversary celebration, Monday May 8, 2006 in Tucson, Ariz. Photo by James S. Wood Arizona Daily Star
Retired NASA astronaut Frank Borman signs fifth-grader Derek Contreras' arm Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010 in Tucson, Ariz. after speaking with students from Mission Manor Elementary School about his trips to space. Col. Borman served as commander of the Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 missions in the 1960s. (Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star)
Astronaut Frank Borman is an old Tucson High Badger. He was a quarterback on the championship football team of 1946 and was made an honorary member of the championship Badger team of 1965 yesterday at Tucson ceremonies hailing his epic space flight. But up to yesterday Borman had never seen a live Badger. He was introduced to this badger by Hal Gras of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum staff. Photo taken Jan. 10, 1966.
Astronaut Frank Borman presents an Arizona flag that "may not be the biggest, but surely has traveled the farthest" to Gov. Sam Goddard. Norman had carried the flag with him on his two-week Gemini 7 space voyage.
Tucson astronaut Frank Borman and Frank Mendez hold Tucson High School's 1965 championship game football yesterday which the spaceman signed after being named an honorary team member. Mendez played linebacker for the THS grid squad. Mendez drew laughter from the University of Arizona stadium audience when he said Borman signed the ball "to encourage other THS graduates to attain the heights you have reached."
Left to right: Frank Borman, commander of 3-man Apollo 8 crew, William A. Anders and James A. Lovell, Jr., Dec. 21, 1968. They will attempt an orbital flight around the moon during the Christmas holidays. (AP Photo)
President Richard Nixon ushers Frank Borman to a White House microphone in Washington, on Jan. 30, 1969 after announcing that the moon-circling astronaut and his family will make an eight-nation goodwill tour of Western Europe. Wither them are the other two Apollo 8 astronauts are James Lovell, and William Anders, right. The Borman's will leave Sunday for visits to Great Britain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, West Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal. (AP Photo/ Harvey Georges )
A December 1968 file photo picture shows the Apollo 8 crew, from left: commander Frank Borman, command modul pilot James A. Lovell, Jr., and lunar module pilot William A. Anders. Dec. 21, 2008 sees the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 8 mission bringing Mission Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders as the first humans ever to another celestial body. The mission during which the Apollo 8 crew became the first humans to see the far side of the Moon, paved the way for later missions including Apollo 11 to land the first man on the Moon in 1969. (AP Photo/Stf, File)
Astronaut Frank Borman, left, with astronaut James Lovell, right, as they move into their space capsule for lift off of Gemini 7, 14 day flight on Dec. 4, 1965. (AP Photo)
Retired astronaut Col. Frank Borman poses on the wing of his 1944 vintage P-51 Mustang Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, in his hanger at the Las Cruces International Airport in New Mexico. Borman, now 70, was one of three astronauts on the Apollo 8 mission that flew around the moon Dec. 21, 1968. Monday marks the 30th anniversary of the launch of that mission. (AP Photo/Dale Fulkerson)
Retired NASA astronaut Frank Borman signs fifth-grader Angelita MuΓ±oz's arm Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010 in Tucson, Ariz. after speaking with students from Mission Manor Elementary School about his trips to space. (Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star)
Frank Borman, well-known astronaut who went to the moon 50 years ago in Apollo 8, though he didn't get to land there, grew up in Tucson.
Frank Borman
Jack Shaeffer
Frank Borman, January, 1966.
Frank Borman
Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star
Retired NASA astronaut Frank Borman speaks with children from Mission Manor Elementary School Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010, in Tucson, Ariz. about his trips to space. Col. Borman served as commander of the Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 missions in the 1960s. (Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star)
Frank Borman
James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star
This Lunar Sample was given to astronaut Frank Borman, who led the first team of American astronauts to leave Earth's orbit and circle the Moon on Apollo 8, by Astronaut and Senior NASA representative Mark Polansky, during Pima Air & Space Museum's 30th anniversary celebration, Monday May 8, 2006 in Tucson, Ariz. Photo by James S. Wood Arizona Daily Star
Frank Borman
James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star
Trevor Stramler, 4, shakes the hand of astronaut Frank Borman, who led the first team of American astornauts to leave Earth's orbit and circle the Moon on Apollo 8, while trevor's parents Edward Stramler, and Kerrie Stramler, look on during Pima Air & Space Museum's 30th anniversary celebration, Monday May 8, 2006 in Tucson, Ariz. Photo by James S. Wood Arizona Daily Star
Frank Borman
Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star
Retired NASA astronaut Frank Borman signs fifth-grader Derek Contreras' arm Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010 in Tucson, Ariz. after speaking with students from Mission Manor Elementary School about his trips to space. Col. Borman served as commander of the Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 missions in the 1960s. (Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star)
Frank Borman
Jack Sheaffer
Photo taken Jan. 10, 1966.
Frank Borman
Jack Shaeffer
Astronaut Frank Borman is an old Tucson High Badger. He was a quarterback on the championship football team of 1946 and was made an honorary member of the championship Badger team of 1965 yesterday at Tucson ceremonies hailing his epic space flight. But up to yesterday Borman had never seen a live Badger. He was introduced to this badger by Hal Gras of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum staff. Photo taken Jan. 10, 1966.
Frank Borman
Jack Shaeffer
Astronaut Frank Borman presents an Arizona flag that "may not be the biggest, but surely has traveled the farthest" to Gov. Sam Goddard. Norman had carried the flag with him on his two-week Gemini 7 space voyage.
Frank Borman
Jack Shaeffer
Tucson astronaut Frank Borman and Frank Mendez hold Tucson High School's 1965 championship game football yesterday which the spaceman signed after being named an honorary team member. Mendez played linebacker for the THS grid squad. Mendez drew laughter from the University of Arizona stadium audience when he said Borman signed the ball "to encourage other THS graduates to attain the heights you have reached."
Frank Borman
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Left to right: Frank Borman, commander of 3-man Apollo 8 crew, William A. Anders and James A. Lovell, Jr., Dec. 21, 1968. They will attempt an orbital flight around the moon during the Christmas holidays. (AP Photo)
Frank Borman
AP
Astronaut Frank Borman in commanderΓs seat during mission of Apollo 8 in Shuttle simulator in an undated photo. (AP Photo)
Frank Borman
Harvey Georges
President Richard Nixon ushers Frank Borman to a White House microphone in Washington, on Jan. 30, 1969 after announcing that the moon-circling astronaut and his family will make an eight-nation goodwill tour of Western Europe. Wither them are the other two Apollo 8 astronauts are James Lovell, and William Anders, right. The Borman's will leave Sunday for visits to Great Britain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, West Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal. (AP Photo/ Harvey Georges )
Frank Borman
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A December 1968 file photo picture shows the Apollo 8 crew, from left: commander Frank Borman, command modul pilot James A. Lovell, Jr., and lunar module pilot William A. Anders. Dec. 21, 2008 sees the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 8 mission bringing Mission Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders as the first humans ever to another celestial body. The mission during which the Apollo 8 crew became the first humans to see the far side of the Moon, paved the way for later missions including Apollo 11 to land the first man on the Moon in 1969. (AP Photo/Stf, File)
Frank Borman
Anonymous
Astronaut Frank Borman, left, with astronaut James Lovell, right, as they move into their space capsule for lift off of Gemini 7, 14 day flight on Dec. 4, 1965. (AP Photo)
Frank Borman
Jack Sheaffer
Rollin Gridley (right) and Frank Borman, January 10, 1966. Star file photo by Jack Sheaffer.
Frank Borman
Jim Stith/Jack Sheaffer Studios
Astronaut Frank Borman waves during a parade in his honor Jan. 10, 1966 in Tucson. Photo by Jim Stith/Jack Sheaffer Studios.
Frank Borman
Dale Fulkerson
Retired astronaut Col. Frank Borman poses on the wing of his 1944 vintage P-51 Mustang Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, in his hanger at the Las Cruces International Airport in New Mexico. Borman, now 70, was one of three astronauts on the Apollo 8 mission that flew around the moon Dec. 21, 1968. Monday marks the 30th anniversary of the launch of that mission. (AP Photo/Dale Fulkerson)
Frank Borman
Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star
Retired NASA astronaut Frank Borman signs fifth-grader Angelita MuΓ±oz's arm Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010 in Tucson, Ariz. after speaking with students from Mission Manor Elementary School about his trips to space. (Mike Christy / for the Arizona Daily Star)