[Apollo 12] PANORAMIC SEQUENCE OF PETE CONRAD AND THE LM INTREPID ON THE RIM OF SURVEYOR CRATER ...

[Apollo 12] PANORAMIC SEQUENCE OF PETE CONRAD AND THE LM INTREPID ON THE RIM OF SURVEYOR CRATER (four photographs) Alan Bean, 14-24 November 1969, EVA 1 Printed 1969. Four vintage chromogenic prints on fibre-based Kodak paper [overlapping NASA images AS12-47-6990, AS12-47-6988 and AS12-47-6987 and AS12-47-6985]. With 'A Kodak Paper' watermark on the reverses, numbered 'NASA AS12-47-6990', 'NASA AS12-47-6988', 'NASA AS12-47-6987', 'NASA AS12-47-6987' in red in the top margin, the second with NASA caption on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). Each: 25.4 x 20.3 cm. (10 x 8 in.) Historical context A magnificent panoramic view of Ocean of Storms Base, humankind's second outpost on another world. This 4-frame '4 O'clock LM Panorama', named for its orientation toward the 4 o'clock side of the Intrepid Lunar Module, was taken by Alan Bean at the end of the first EVA. In the scene, Pete Conrad is working at the Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly (MESA), trying to secure the rock box on the MESA table. The American flag decal is clearly visible on Intrepid, and the colour/shadow chart hangs at the edge of the MESA. The dish antenna, crucial for communication with Earth, stands prominently, while the Apollo Lunar Hand Tools (ALHT) carrier lies nearby. To the left, Surveyor Crater extends into the landscape, while to the right, the shadow of the photographer, Alan Bean, is visible. To provide scientists with a comprehensive view of their surroundings, Apollo moonwalkers deliberately took overlapping images, allowing geologists and researchers to later stitch them into detailed panoramas for analysis. This remarkable panorama underscores the crucial role of camera work for the astronauts. At the start of the EVA, Conrad mistakenly captured his three landing site panoramas at a 15-foot focus instead of the correct 74-foot focus. To ensure proper lunar photography, he later asked Alan Bean to retake them at the end of EVA 1. (see mission transcript) Footnotes: From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken: 118:31:53 Bean: Okay, one more set (of pictures) to go. 118:31:56 Conrad: Okay. 118:31:59 Bean: I've got this bag of rocks on me, here. Want me to bring them to you in a minute? 118:32:03 Conrad: Well, I'm having trouble over here with the rock-box holders. 118:32:09 Bean: Okay. If you have a little trouble, I can help you with it. 118:32:13 Conrad: Yeah. This rock box keeps wanting to go up in the air. (Pause) Nope. The heck with it. I ain't got time to mess with it. (Pause, taking the scale out of the rock box) One scale. (Long Pause) 118:32:48 Conrad: Got to get this core tube, buddy. 118:32:50 Bean: I know it. (Pause) As fast as I can. (Pause) 118:33:10 Bean: Okay, all the pans are done, Pete. Okay? Literature Jacobs, p. 77 (second photograph) Watch more CLICK HERE: Apollo 12 - Pinpoint For Science (1970) For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing