Earthrise and LM Eagle, 16-24 July 1969

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based paper, printed 1969, numbered "NASA AS11-44-6637" (NASA MSC) in red in top margin, with "A KODAK PAPER" watermark on verso, 20,3 x 25,4 cm

Shortly after this photograph was taken, Eagle docked again with Columbia in lunar orbit and Aldrin and Armstrong transferred in Columbia.
Eagle was then jettisoned and crashed to the lunar surface.

“This picture captures the essence of the Apollo project, two celestial bodies connected by a human transportation system composed of two very different vehicles. Taken through the window of the Command Module which has the ability to return through the Earth’s atmosphere at very high speeds, this photograph features the ascent stage of the Lunar Module, the only craft to be able to convey crewmen from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon and return them to orbit around the Moon. As the LM was unable to return through the Earth’s atmosphere, it was required to rendezvous and dock with the Command Module, where the crew could transfer for the return to their Home Planet.”
Neil Armstrong (Jacobs, p. 65)

Literature:
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, December 1969, pp. 774-775 (variant).