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The Apollo 8 mission, which took place from December 21 to 27, 1968, achieved several significant milestones:

1. First Human Spaceflight to the Moon: Apollo 8 was the first crewed mission to leave Earth's gravitational influence and travel to and orbit the Moon, setting the stage for subsequent lunar landings.

2. Lunar Orbit: The mission successfully orbited the Moon ten times without landing, allowing the astronauts to gather critical data and photographs of the lunar surface.

3. First Humans to See the Far Side of the Moon: The crew, consisting of Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders, became the first humans to see and capture images of the Moon's far side.

4. Broadcast from Lunar Orbit: On Christmas Eve, the astronauts broadcasted live from lunar orbit, sharing views of the Earth and Moon while reading from the Book of Genesis, an event watched by millions worldwide.

5. Proof of Saturn V Rocket Capability: The mission demonstrated the capability of the Saturn V rocket to carry humans to the Moon, bolstering confidence in the vehicle for future Apollo missions.

For more detailed information, you can visit the mission's Wikipedia page or the NASA website.