Optional
"The first human eyes to see the far side were the crew of Apollo 8, and one of them told Arthur C. Clarke that they had debated radioing back news of a large black monolith on the surface, having seen the film 2001 before launch, but that wiser heads prevailed."
Well, obviously wiser heads prevailed. The monolith that was found on the moon was buried. It wouldn't have been visible from orbit.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
