Important Milestone in Preparation for 1969 Moon Landing

"Orthographic Atlas of the Moon - Supplement Number One to the Photographic Lunar Atlas", U.S. Air Force

The Lunar Atlas was commissioned by the United States Air Force "to provide the most complete and best available photographic coverage of the moon as a contribution of the United States Government in the national space effort." The photographs were an invaluable tool that assisted in planning spacecraft missions to the moon, and in particular helped determine operational sites for the 1969 moon landing. The atlas was accompanied by two supplements: Orthographic Atlas of the Moon and Rectified Lunar Atlas. This lot consists of the first supplement, which includes 64 full-page photographic plates and two pages of text explaining the construction of the atlas. The plates carry the "standard cartographic map grid at intervals of 0.01 of the lunar radius" and are overlaid with accurate lunar co-ordinates. The plates are single sheets that are bound with two posts between red-cloth covered boards with gilt title on front cover. The work was compiled by D. W. G. Arthur and A. E. Whitaker, edited by Gerard P. Kuiper, and published by the University of Arizona Press. Oblong elephant folio.

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Condition: A

The plates are clean and bright with occasional pencil notations. The title page is lightly foxed with a previous owner's name in pencil. Covers have lightly bumped corners and a scratch on front cover.