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This is the first space selfie - and it's awesome

This is the first space selfie - and it's awesome
Science1 min read

You probably know Buzz Aldrin as the second guy to set foot on the Moon.

Or maybe as the namesake for Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear.

But Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. also has the honor of being the first person to take a selfie in space.

Aldrin snapped the photo in November 1966, during Gemini 12, the last mission of a program meant to test astronauts' ability to dock with spacecraft already in orbit.

While he was at it, Aldrin also set a record for time spent outside his spacecraft (called an EVA, or extravehicular activity), at five and a half hours. Here's the photo:

first selfie in space Buzz Aldrin auction photo

Bloomsbury Auctions

Buzz Aldrin in space in November 1966.

The eight by ten inch photo was among hundreds of vintage space photos sold at London's Bloomsbury Auction on February 26 - see more of them in our slideshow.

Aldrin's seminal selfie went for more than $9,000 (£5,952) - way more than the auction house's minimum estimation of $900 (£600).

NOW WATCH: Here Are All The Awful Things That Happen To Your Body In Space

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