Debate / Juan Chaidez Aispuro
William Anders, retired astronaut and photographer of one of the most influential images of the Earth seen from space, died at the age of 90 last Friday when the plane he was piloting crashed in the waters of the San Juan Islands, in Washington state. .
Anders, who was part of the Apollo 8 mission, was the author of the iconic photograph known as ‘Earthrise’, which captured the planet as a blue marble floating in the darkness of space in 1968.
The retired major general always considered this photograph to be his most significant contribution to the space program. Beyond his role in ensuring the operation of the Apollo 8 command module and service module, the image he took from space became a powerful symbol for the global environmental movement.
‘Earthrise’ was the first color image of our planet seen from space and played a crucial role in changing human perspective on the fragility and loneliness of Earth in the cosmos.
The relevance of this photograph transcends space exploration; He is credited with inspiring global awareness about the need to protect our environment.
The image has been widely recognized and celebrated for its impact in promoting environmental awareness and motivating the first major campaigns for the conservation of the planet.
