A visual history of the moon, from Galileo to Armstrong

Oscar Holland, CNN
3 minute read
Published 9:08 AM EDT, Mon July 15, 2019
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has staged "Apollo's Muse: The Moon in the Age of Photography," a new exhibition exploring visual representations of the moon, including this famous photo of Buzz Aldrin taken by Neil Armstrong.
"Buzz Aldrin Walking on the Surface of the Moon near a Leg of the Lunar Module" (1969) by Neil Armstrong. —
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has staged "Apollo's Muse: The Moon in the Age of Photography," a new exhibition exploring visual representations of the moon, including this famous photo of Buzz Aldrin taken by Neil Armstrong.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Decades since the moon landing, artists like Penelope Umbrico are still finding new ways to represent the moon. For this video installation, Umbrico mined over a million photographs of the full moon taken by amateur and professional photographers alike from Flickr.
"Everyone's Moon 2015-11-04 142259" (2015) by Penelope Umbrico —
Decades since the moon landing, artists like Penelope Umbrico are still finding new ways to represent the moon. For this video installation, Umbrico mined over a million photographs of the full moon taken by amateur and professional photographers alike from Flickr.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
In 1610, Galileo published a series of detailed drawings of the moon in his ground-breaking treatise "Sidereus Nuncius." The astronomer's depiction of a rough, cratered surface -- which he had observed through a homemade telescope -- is quite unlike other illustrations from the time.
"Two Drawings of Waxing Moon" (1610) by Galileo Galilei —
In 1610, Galileo published a series of detailed drawings of the moon in his ground-breaking treatise "Sidereus Nuncius." The astronomer's depiction of a rough, cratered surface -- which he had observed through a homemade telescope -- is quite unlike other illustrations from the time.
Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Washington, D.C.
The video "First Woman on the Moon" captures a fake moon landing staged by artist Aleksandra Mir on a beach in the Netherlands. The artist employed machine operators to shape sand into a mock lunar landscape. Mir was interested both in playing with the contested land of Netherlands' beaches and also exploring gender expectations involved in space travel.
"First Woman on the Moon" (1999) by Alekssandra Mir —
The video "First Woman on the Moon" captures a fake moon landing staged by artist Aleksandra Mir on a beach in the Netherlands. The artist employed machine operators to shape sand into a mock lunar landscape. Mir was interested both in playing with the contested land of Netherlands' beaches and also exploring gender expectations involved in space travel.
Aleksandra Mir
Inventor and chemist John Adams Whipple pioneered astronomical and night photography. He won prizes for his early images of the moon and was the first to produce images of stars other than the sun.
"View of the Moon" (1852) by John Adams Whipple —
Inventor and chemist John Adams Whipple pioneered astronomical and night photography. He won prizes for his early images of the moon and was the first to produce images of stars other than the sun.
John G. Wolbach Library
Toward the end of the 19th century, advances in photographic technology led to sharper and more accurate images of the moon.
"Transparency of the Moon from Negatives Made at the Lick Observatory, Mount Hamilton, California" (1896) —
Toward the end of the 19th century, advances in photographic technology led to sharper and more accurate images of the moon.
Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations
Engineer and astronaut William Anders participated in the Apollo 8 flight, which made the first manned voyage around the moon. Anders photographed the trip relentlessly, producing this iconic image of the Earth from space.
"Earthrise" (1968) by William Anders —
Engineer and astronaut William Anders participated in the Apollo 8 flight, which made the first manned voyage around the moon. Anders photographed the trip relentlessly, producing this iconic image of the Earth from space.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The exhibition documents humans' continuing fascination with the moon, captured quite literally in Gary Winogrand's image of spectators watching Apollo 11's takeoff.
"Apollo 11 Moon Shot, Cape Kennedy, Florida" (1969) by Gary Winogrand —
The exhibition documents humans' continuing fascination with the moon, captured quite literally in Gary Winogrand's image of spectators watching Apollo 11's takeoff.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Harrison Schmitt, American geologist and the most recent living person to have walked on the moon, took this stunning image of Earth from the lunar surface.
"Blue Marble" (1972) by Harrison Schmitt —
Harrison Schmitt, American geologist and the most recent living person to have walked on the moon, took this stunning image of Earth from the lunar surface.
Gift of Jules Bergman, 1984, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations
Swiss artists Jojakim Cortis and Adrian Sonderegger playfully remake famous historical photographs. This recreation of Buzz Aldrin's famous photograph of his own footprint hints at the conspiracy theory that the Apollo 11 moon landing was faked in a Hollywood studio.
"Making of AS11-40-5878 (by Edward Aldrin, 1969)" (2014) by Jojakim Cortis and Adrian Sonderegger —
Swiss artists Jojakim Cortis and Adrian Sonderegger playfully remake famous historical photographs. This recreation of Buzz Aldrin's famous photograph of his own footprint hints at the conspiracy theory that the Apollo 11 moon landing was faked in a Hollywood studio.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met's exhibition features two daguerreotypes believed to be the earliest existing photographs of the moon. The daguerreotype process was an early photographic process that used an iodine-sensitized silvered plate and mercury vapor to capture images.
"The Moon" (1857-1860) by John Adams Whipple —
The Met's exhibition features two daguerreotypes believed to be the earliest existing photographs of the moon. The daguerreotype process was an early photographic process that used an iodine-sensitized silvered plate and mercury vapor to capture images.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
In the 1960s, graphic designer Harry Gordon designed five mod style paper "poster dresses." The dresses sold in the US for $2.98 each, and were screen-printed with a photo.
"Rocket" Dress (1968) by Harry Gordon —
In the 1960s, graphic designer Harry Gordon designed five mod style paper "poster dresses." The dresses sold in the US for $2.98 each, and were screen-printed with a photo.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photographer Edward Steichen created this image of the moon's reflection in a pond's surface by using a complex technique of multiple printing. The artist manually applied light-sensitive gums to produce a layered effect.
"The Pond - Moonrise" (1904) by Edward J. Steichen —
Photographer Edward Steichen created this image of the moon's reflection in a pond's surface by using a complex technique of multiple printing. The artist manually applied light-sensitive gums to produce a layered effect.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
How artists, photographers and astronomers have pictured the moon
CNN  — 

In 1610, Galileo published a series of detailed drawings of the moon in his ground-breaking treatise “Sidereus Nuncius.” The astronomer’s depiction of a rough, cratered surface – which he had observed through a homemade telescope – is quite unlike other illustrations from the time.

As such, his images were considered hugely controversial. They broke with centuries of orthodoxy, challenging the Catholic church’s vision of the moon as a flawless celestial body.

Apollo 11 flight manual expected to sell for millions at moon landing anniversary auction

And the drawings didn’t just fuel an astronomical revolution. They marked the beginning of a visual history that blends art, technology and the human imagination, according to Mia Fineman, curator of a new Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition exploring our attempts to picture the moon.