In December of 1972, Apollo 17 [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent about 75 hours [ http://www.hq.nasa. ] on the Moon, in the Taurus-Littrow valley [ http://www.lpi.usra A17_lsite.html ], while colleague Ronald Evans orbited overhead [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ]. Near the beginning of their third and final excursion [ http://www.hq.nasa. ] across the lunar surface [ http://www.hq.nasa. ], Schmitt took this picture of Cernan flanked by an American flag and their lunar rover's [ http://www.hq.nasa. ] umbrella-shaped high-gain antenna. The prominent [ http://www.hq.nasa. a17.fam-mtn.html ] Sculptured Hills lie in the background while Schmitt's reflection can just be made out in Cernan's helmet. The Apollo 17 crew [ http://www.nasm.si. AS17/a17crew.htm ] returned with 110 kilograms of rock and soil samples, more than from any of the other lunar landing sites [ http://www.boulder. landing_sites.html ]. Cernan and Schmitt are still the last to walk on the Moon [ http://www.alanbean ].
Explanation
In December of 1972, Apollo 17 [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent about 75 hours [ http://www.hq.nasa. ] on the Moon, in the Taurus-Littrow valley [ http://www.lpi.usra A17_lsite.html ], while colleague Ronald Evans orbited overhead [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ]. Near the beginning of their third and final excursion [ http://www.hq.nasa. ] across the lunar surface [ http://www.hq.nasa. ], Schmitt took this picture of Cernan flanked by an American flag and their lunar rover's [ http://www.hq.nasa. ] umbrella-shaped high-gain antenna. The prominent [ http://www.hq.nasa. a17.fam-mtn.html ] Sculptured Hills lie in the background while Schmitt's reflection can just be made out in Cernan's helmet. The Apollo 17 crew [ http://www.nasm.si. AS17/a17crew.htm ] returned with 110 kilograms of rock and soil samples, more than from any of the other lunar landing sites [ http://www.boulder. landing_sites.html ]. Cernan and Schmitt are still the last to walk on the Moon [ http://www.alanbean ].