Forty Years After Earthrise

By Sheril Kirshenbaum
Dec 23, 2008 2:00 AMMay 21, 2019 5:44 PM

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Forty years ago* on December 24, 1968, Earthrise was captured by astronaut William Anders during Apollo 8--the first manned voyage to the orbit of the Moon. It is a photograph that forever changed the way many humans perceive our place in the universe.

As we celebrate the new year, take a moment to consider our impact on this pale blue dot in the short span of time since then... and just imagine what we may yet accomplish and discover by 2048.

*posted a day early given many readers will be away from the blogosphere tomorrow

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