The photo that 50 years ago forever changed the way we view Earth – BBC World

Image copyright NASA / LOIRP

Image caption The photo is now 50 years old made history: “you were watching desolate planet from another body and that put in perspective to Earth in space, “says Friedlander.

It was the first picture that was taken of Earth from the Moon and when it was published 50 years ago, it shocked the world.

“It was the first time I saw the Earth as a world apart” , he tells BBC World Jay Friedlander, graphic artist US Space Agency (NASA, for its acronym in English), with over 20 years of experience in image processing computer.

The famous photograph taken on August 23, 1966 by the Lunar spacecraft Orbiter 1 NASA not only portrayed the Earth, but it did from the perspective of the Moon .

“You were seeing the desolate planet from another body and that put in perspective to Earth in space ” says Friedlander.

Today the black and white image may appear low quality and even boring, but back then it was such a famous photo that children hung on the walls of his room, says Friedlander, who at the then it was small.

Image copyright ESA / NASA

Image caption Earth images in full color and high quality as this taken from the International Space Station are common today, but 50 years ago.

In fact, it has, in the Center Goddard Space Flight NASA in Maryland, where he works, there are still those who have this photograph hanging in their offices .

The new missions will take pictures in ultra high definition and full color, but this photo of Lunar Orbiter 1 is unique.

Friedlander called “Earth ascending” .

On August 10, 1966 NASA launched the Lunar Orbiter 1 , the first of five ships sent to the moon in order to map its surface facing the choice of a landing site for the Apollo missions.

Image copyright NASA

Image caption The five Lunar mission Orbiter were launched between 1966 and 1967 in order to map the surface of the moon before the Apollo landings ships.

Between 1966 and 1967 five Lunar Orbiter photographed 99% of the lunar surface , sending to Earth a total of 3,062 quality images , according to NASA.

While the Lunar Orbiter space are considered photographic laboratories, also they performed other experiments such as measuring radiation. This then helped ensure that the Apollo spacecraft protect astronauts from solar exposure.

T ll Lunar ships Orbiter were commanded to crash into the Moon precisely not to turn into a space hazard to manned Apollo flights.