DALLAS, TX.- J.L. Pickering has devoted his career as an archivist of images of space and related objects and artifacts. He is considered one of the foremost historians of space travel and exploration, covering them for outlets such as CNN, the Discovery Channel and SiriusXM.

Now, more than 300 photographs directly from his personal collection (of some 100,000 black and white and color) are being offered in Heritage Auctions' Sept. 24 Images of Apollo: The J.L. Pickering Collection Auction.

Featuring vintage photos and film strips from legendary NASA missions including Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 10 and Apollo 11, this is a jaw-dropping collection. From lift-off to walking on the moon (and everything in between), many of these images of very rare.

"We are incredibly excited to offer such an extensive collection of these iconic images," said Brad Palmer, Consignment Director/Cataloger for Heritage's Space Exploration department. "Our recent auctions have shown that collectors are fascinated with these vintage prints and this is a wonderful opportunity to acquire them in some of the best conditions we have seen.

"J.L. Pickering is well known as an expert in the field, and he has offered these directly from his collection. Whether a veteran collector looking for specific images or someone just at the outset of their collection, there are opportunities for all."

As the co-author of a handful of books on various space missions and space history, Pickering's latest book, Picturing the Space Shuttle: The Early Years, arrives in bookstores around the world Sept. 7. His website, RetroSpaceImages.com, is full of photographs and videos, as well as his personal blog.

Some of the top lots in the auction from Pickering's collection include, but are not limited to:

• Apollo 8 Vintage NASA "Red Number" Color Photo, Image AS8-14-2383 "Earthrise" (estimate: $3,500+)

• Apollo 17 Vintage NASA "Red Number" Color Photo, Image AS17-148-22727: Blue Marble (estimate: $2,000+)

• Apollo 11 Original NASA 70mm Film Strip, Magazine 40, Frames 5900-5904 and 5942-5944 (estimate: $1,500+)

• Apollo 11 Vintage NASA "Red Number" Color Photo, Image AS11-40-5903: "Visor" (estimate: $1,000+)

• Apollo 11 Vintage NASA "Red Number" Color Photo, Image AS11-40-5880: Aldrin's Boot on the Moon (estimate: $700+)