Boy watches Apollo 11 landing program through telescope

Boy watches Apollo 11 landing program through astronomical a telescope on 16 Jul 1969.

David Burnett, 22 at the time, got an assignment from TIME Magazine to cover the scene.

Aspirations

There was trauma over the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy

"The previous year had been one of division," recalls Burnett, "Over the Vietnam War, and there was trauma over the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy..."

Kids filled waiting time with space-related activities

Kids filled the waiting time with space-related activities.

Many spectators filled the waiting time with space-related activities.

Moment grows near

The moment grows near

"At around dusk," says Burnett, "NASA put the lights of the launch pad on..."

All night long

Some spectators stayed up all night.

Some spectators stayed up all night.

Sunlight

Some spectators stayed up all night.

Some spectators stayed up all night. Others did not.

Wow

At 9:32 AM, the rocket took off.

At 9:32 AM, the rocket took off.