This rare Russian lunar atlas includes the first satellite lunar photographs of the dark side of the moon, taken by the "Luna-3" space-station in 1959. The "Luna-3" was the third spacecraft successfully launched to the moon, but the first to capture photographic images of the far side of the moon. The atlas includes 30 photographic illustrations of the moon, a loosely inserted folding map (as issued), and additional illustrations and tables. Quarto; 149 pp; 1 loose folding map; 30 photographic plates. Hardbound in contemporary blue cloth with black and silver title on front cover and silver title on spine. Dated 1960 on the title page and 1961 on the colophon. This atlas was published in an edition of 5000 copies, the majority of which were sent to scientific and government institutions in the USSR, with few available in the West. As the atlas is in Russian, a 34-page companion booklet was published with an English translation of the text. The booklet includes 4 additional photographic illustrations and several diagrams. Edited by Yuri N. Lipsky, N.P. Barabashov, and A.A. Mikhailov.

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Condition: B+

The interior is of the atlas is crisp and clean, with light toning along the edges of the plates. The covers show very light wear with a bit of sunning along the spine. The booklet is clean on the interior with some minor toning, and the covers show light wear.