First full-disc image of Earth (taken by humans)

NASA’s Apollo 17 mission was the last flight to the Moon by human beings. The geometry of the Solar System during their flight meant that, with the Sun at their backs, the full Earth was visible for the first time by people from beyond Earth orbit. As the crew – Eugene Cernan, Ron Evans and Harrison Schmitt – were on their way to the Moon, they were able to capture one of the most iconic images ever taken of Earth. Known as the Blue Marble, it was taken on 7 December 1972 from a distance of around 45,000 km. On 10 November 1967, NASA satellite ATS-3 took the first full-view photograph of Earth. The satellite was in geostationary orbit 37,000 km (23,000 miles) over Brazil at the time.