13 a [Associated Press caption] Soviet lunar view TASS, Soviet picture agency, released in Moscow Febr. 5 this picture of the Moon, transmitted by Soviet spacecraft Luna 9. The photo was made with the help of elevated mirrors.
On 3 February 1966 the Luna 9 spacecraft became the first spacecraft to achieve a survivable landing on another celestial body. Luna 9 thumped down on the vast lava plain known as the Ocean of Storms (Oceanus Procellarum). Its landing configuration used air bags to cushion its fall. This historic first picture from the surface of another world was transmitted from the turret camera in the cylinder on top of the robotic spacecraft.
13 b Luna 9, which was only powered by batteries, lasted three days, enough to transmit four panoramas from very close to the surface, including this one.
“The probe also proved that the lunar surface could support the weight of a lander and that an object would not sink into a loose layer of dust as some models predicted” (https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1966-006A).
“The pictures are said to show a 360° panoramic view of the Moon’s surface as seen by Luna 9. The first two pictures in this sequence show parts of Luna 9’s unfolding, petal-like panels which protected the camera during flight. The russian caption accompanying these photos said that objects measuring only one or two millimeters could be seen if they were located very close to the lunar station; and that objects several meters in size were visible on the horizon. The horizon was said to be one and a half km from the station. The narrow image in the center of the last photo was said to be caused by a mirror on Luna 9’s apparatus reflecting another portion of the Moon’s surface. Russian captions also said these pictures were made on the eastern extremity of the Moon’s Oceanus Procellarum” (from the press captions).
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Voyage to Another World: The Victor Martin-Malburet Photograph Collection
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The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
Overall in very good condition with wear commensurate with age and use.
Please note that photographs in this sale are drawn from a variety of sources and include photographs used to prepare press articles. Condition will vary from lot to lot but some photographs may display signs of further handling including, but not limited to:
Nicks to edges; fading or yellowing; slight warping and creasing; light scruffs or scratches; small tears to margins; handwritten annotations in pencil or ink; captions affixed to verso; staining to verso; affixed labels or stickers; occasional hand retouching to press photographs, and cropped margins.
Most of these will be discernible from the catalogue images.
The mosaic panoramas are composed of multiple photographs attached together using adhesive. These may be trimmed to allow for correct registration of successive images within the panorama.
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Lot 13Sale 20142
Luna 9First photograph and first panorama on the surface of the Moon, February 3, 1966Estimate: GBP 1,500 - 2,500
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