Fifty-one years ago, the crew of Apollo 17 took this iconic image of Earth. Known as the “Blue Marble,” the image was taken just hours after the three astronauts, mission commander Gene Cernan, lunar module pilot Harrison Schmitt, and command module pilot Ron Evans lifted off from NASAKennedy on what would be the last Apollo mission to the Moon.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ As #Artemis looks to build on the legacy of Apollo, the upcoming Artemis III mission will mark humanity’s first return to the lunar surface in over 50 years.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Image description: An image of the Earth, a perfectly round ball, set against the blackness of outer space. Through swirling clouds, the continent of Africa and the island of Madagascar can be seen; Antarctica is just visible at the very bottom of the Earth, and the Arabian peninsula at the top. The Atlantic and Indian Oceans are a deep, rich blue, giving this photo its common name: the Blue Marble.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Credit: NASA⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #NASA #Apollo17 #BlueMarble