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Credit & Copyright: Courtesy
William Keel
(Univ. Alabama, Tuscaloosa)
Explanation:
This vintage 60-kopek stamp celebrates a dramatic achievement.
On October 7th,
forty years ago (7/X/1959),
the Soviet interplanetary station
which has come to be
called "Luna 3" successfully photographed the
far side of the moon giving denizens
of planet Earth their
first ever view of this
hidden
hemisphere.
Lacking the digital
image technology familiar now, Luna 3 took
the pictures on 35mm film which was automatically developed on board.
The pictures were then scanned and
the signal transmitted
to Earth days later in what was perhaps also the first interplanetary fax.
In all,
seventeen pictures were received providing enough coverage and
resolution to construct a far side map and identify a few major features.
Depicted on the stamp are regions dubbed the
Sea of Moscow, the Soviet Mountains,
the Bay of Astronauts, and the Sea of Dreams.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: lunar farside - luna 3 - Moon
Publications with words: lunar farside - luna 3 - Moon
See also: