Astronauts Cernan and Evans in the Apollo 17 Command Module. Eugene Cernan (left) was the mission commander of this last flight in the Apollo Moon programme. Ronald Evans was the Command Module pilot. The third crew member, Lunar Module pilot Harrison Schmitt, took this photograph during the return journey to Earth. Apollo 17 was launched on 7 December 1972, Cernan and Schmitt landing on the Moon four days later. They left the Moon after a 72-hour stay, Cernan being the last human to stand on its surface. Ronald Evans remained in the Moon-orbiting Command Module during this time. The crew returned to Earth on 19 December 1972.