Lunar landscape: view of the boulder-covered surface of the Moon in the Taurus-Littrow region, seen during the Apollo 17 mission. Apollo 17 landed on the Moon on 11 December 1972. The site, to the east of the Sea of Serenity, was chosen for its expected geological diversity - containing rocks of many types and ages. Astronaut Eugene Cernan was accompanied by Astronaut Harrison Schmitt on this mission; Schmitt is the only professional geologist to have visited the Moon. During their 75 hour stay on the Moon, Schmitt and Cernan made three excursions in the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) and collected 110kg of Moon rocks.