7. The Iconic Earthrise Photo and the Genesis Reading Broadcast. Bob Zimmerman discusses how while orbiting the moon, the crew captured the now-iconic "Earthrise" photographs. A dispute over who took the famous color picture was resolved by transcript analysis: Frank Borman quickly took a black-and-white image, and Bill Anders subsequently captured the celebrated color image after scrambling to change the film. For their Christmas Eve television broadcast, Frank Borman sought guidance for a message that would match the "majesty and the significance" of the moment, as NASA's public relations chief refused to dictate the content. Borman's friend, Joe Leighton, struggled to find suitable, non-sectarian text. Leighton's wife suggested starting at the beginning of the Old Testament. Leighton realized the opening verses of Genesis were perfect, as they were fundamental to the world's major religions and fit the theme of beginning a new era of exploration. Anders, Lovell, and Borman read the verses, surprising the world, concluding with Borman wishing "God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."
1790 GREEENWICH

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