5 Photos of Apollo 8

Apollo 8 launched on December 21, 1968. By Christmas Eve, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders were circling the Moon. Having been the first humans to leave Earth’s orbit, they returned to Earth on December 27. We’ve written about Apollo 8 HERE and HERE. This week, we celebrate the anniversary of Apollo 8 with 5 images provided to the world by NASA.

 

Apollo 8 crew leaving for launchpad, with Lovell waving

 

 

Jim Lovell and a cramped capsule view

Photo of the Moon, with the large crater Goclenius in foreground