December Gallery

Earthrise photograph, artwork

Earthrise photograph. Artwork based on the famous Earthrise photographs taken by the Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman and William Anders. The photographs were taken as Apollo 8 orbited the Moon on 24 December 1968. This artwork is based on the black-and-white photograph taken by Borman. A few minutes later, Anders took a colour photograph. The Earthrise photographs are considered to be among the most influential ever taken, inspiring greater understanding of the Earth's environment, set here against the blackness of space, and the barren surface of the Moon

© RICHARD BIZLEY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Mountain hare

Mountain hare (Lepus timidus). This species of hare is found across Northern Europe from Scandinavia to Siberia inhabiting moorland and mountainous areas. Small populations also exist in the British Isles including Scotland. Its fur is brown in the summer and moults to include white in the winter. It is largely solitary but may form groups of up to 70 individuals during harsh winters. It has a life span of up to ten years and can reach a length of 60cm and a weight of 4kg. Photographed in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

© Duncan Shaw/Science Photo Library

Apollo 17 astronaut

Apollo 17 astronaut. US astronaut and geologist Dr Harrison Schmitt exploring the Taurus-Littrow region of the Moon, as part of NASA's Apollo 17 mission. He landed on the Moon on 11 December 1972, with mission commander Eugene Cernan. They spent 75 hours on the surface. Ron Evans remained in orbit in the command module. Dr Schmitt is the only scientist to have landed on the Moon. Apollo 17 was the last Apollo mission, and Schmitt and Cernan are the last people to have walked on the Moon. A total of 12 US astronauts walked on the Moon during the eleven manned Apollo missions, from 1968-1972

© NASA/VRS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY