This classic photograph of the Earth as seen by the Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the Moon was taken on December 7, 1972. It shows an area extending from the Mediterranean Sea to the Antarctic south polar ice cap. Note the heavy cloud cover in the Southern Hemisphere. Almost the entire coastline of Africa is clearly visible. The Arabian Peninsula can be seen at the northeastern edge of Africa. The large island off the coast of Africa is Madagascar. The Asian mainland is on the horizon toward the northeast.