Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Monday, July 22nd. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 1 minute, setting at 9:19, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:19. The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 12:27 tomorrow morning.

50 years ago after a bit more than 2 hours working on the surface of the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin climbed back into the Lunar Module to stow the 48 pounds of samples they had taken and to rest up for the return trip to the Command Module and Mike Collins circling above them. After docking, they transferred the samples to the command module and jettisoned the LM. Then they fired the Service Module engine for 2 and a half minutes to send them back to Earth, and landing them in the Pacific Ocean on July 24th. Not knowing if they were contaminated by lunar pathogens, the crew was quarantined for 21 days. The crew was released from Quarantine on August 10th.

The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Lunar lander’s ascent module approaching the command module with Earth in the distance. Credit NASA.

The crew in a like raft in bio contamination suits after splashdown.. Credit NASA.

Left to right Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin accept greeting form President Nixon on the USS Hornet. Credit NASA.