Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan blasted off from the surface of the Moon on this date in 1972 after spending three days exploring it. (Photo at top.)

The two explorers left behind a plaque which read in part, “Here man completed his first explorations of the Moon, December 1972. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind.”

Gene Cernan remains the last human to stand on the Moon. A documentary about him, titled The Last Man on the Moon, was released to acclaim in 2015.

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President George Washington died on this date in 1799. Ahmet Ertegun died 10 years ago today.

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Morey Amsterdam was born on this date in 1908. Shirley Jackson was born 100 years ago today. B. K. S. Iyengar was born on this date in 1918. Don Hewitt was born on this date in 1922. Lee Remick was born in 1935 on this date. The late Patty Duke was born 70 years ago today. (She died on March 29.)

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Dee Wallace is 68. Bill Buckner is 67. Spider Stacy is 58. Craig Biggio is 51. Natascha McElhone is 47.

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