¿ Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2021 May 3 [2]A picture of the Apollo 11 spaceship Eagle returning from the Moon's surface with Earth in the background. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Apollo 11: Earth, Moon, Spaceship Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]Apollo 11; Restoration - [5]Toby Ord Explanation: After the most famous voyage of modern times, it was time to go home. After proving that [6]humanity has the ability to go beyond the confines of [7]planet Earth, the first humans to walk on another world -- [8]Neil Armstrong and [9]Buzz Aldrin -- flew the ascent stage of their [10]Lunar Module back to meet [11]Michael Collins in the moon-orbiting [12]Command and Service Module. [13]Pictured here on 1969 July 21 and recently [14]digitally restored, the ascending spaceship was [15]captured by Collins making its approach, with the Moon below, and [16]Earth far in the distance. The smooth, dark area on the lunar surface is [17]Mare Smythii located just below the equator on the extreme eastern edge of the Moon's near side. It is said of [18]this iconic image that every person but one was in front of the camera. - [19]NASA Remembers Michael Collins - Tomorrow's picture: another triple alignment __________________________________________________________________ [20]< | [21]Archive | [22]Submissions | [23]Index | [24]Search | [25]Calendar | [26]RSS | [27]Education | [28]About APOD | [29]Discuss | [30]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell ([34]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [35]Specific rights apply. [36]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC & [40]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2105/EarthMoonSpaceship_Apollo11Ord_5500.jpg 3. https://www.nasa.gov/ 4. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo11.html 5. http://www.tobyord.com/earth 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200614.html 7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070325.html 8. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/neilabio.html 9. https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/aldrin.htm 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Lunar_Module 11. https://www.nasa.gov/michael-collins 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Command/Service_Module 13. https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=AS11&roll=44&frame=6642 14. http://www.tobyord.com/earth 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190713.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap181224.html 17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_Smythii 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090719.html 19. https://www.nasa.gov/michael-collins 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210502.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 29. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=210503 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210504.html 31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/ 39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 40. http://www.mtu.edu/