William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut Who Captured Iconic Earthrise Photo, Dies at 90

Astronaut and Photographer Leaves Legacy of Space Exploration

Anders' Death Confirmed, Crash Involved His Plane

William Anders, a former NASA astronaut who was part of the Apollo 8 crew that first orbited the Moon in 1968, has died in a plane crash in Washington state, according to his son.

Anders, who was 90 years old, was piloting the plane when it crashed, his son Greg Anders told CBS News. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Anders was born in Hong Kong and raised in the United States. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served as a fighter pilot before joining NASA in 1963.

Anders was selected to be part of the Apollo 8 crew in 1968, which was the first mission to orbit the Moon. During the mission, Anders took the iconic "Earthrise" photo, which showed the Earth rising above the lunar horizon.

After the Apollo 8 mission, Anders retired from NASA and became a businessman. He also wrote several books about his experiences in space.