There is a saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” As Earth Week continues with events around the world to raise environmental awareness and encourage action on climate change, the photograph, Earthrise, seems to be the epitome of that old adage.

Orbiting the moon, William Anders, an astronaut onboard NASA’s Apollo 8 mission, captured the now historic image on December 24, 1968.  Published in Life Magazine’s 100 Photographs that Changed the World edition, Galen Rowell – a prominent nature photographer of the time – famously called Earthrise, “the most influential environmental photograph ever taken.”

Although forty-six years have passed since this iconic image was captured on film, its subtle message seems more relevant than ever.

“Earthrise” Image Credit: William Anders/NASA