Scientific Image· Apollo 17
The Blue Marble
Image ArchivePublic Domain
A fully-lit Earth showing Africa, Antarctica, and swirling white clouds against black space.
View at NASA →Image hosted by its source archive. Asteria Star records verified provenance and links to the original.
Caption: 'The Blue Marble' — a fully illuminated Earth photographed by the crew of Apollo 17 on their way to the Moon in 1972.
Scientific context
One of the most reproduced images in history; a rare fully-sunlit view of Earth captured as Apollo 17 travelled toward the Moon, showing Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Antarctica.
Subject & instruments
Collections
Related images
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Source & references
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.