[Surveyor VII] EXTRAORDINARY 4-PART 360° SURVEYOR MOSAIC PANORAMA OF THE TYCHO LANDING SITE...

[Surveyor VII] EXTRAORDINARY 4-PART 360° SURVEYOR MOSAIC PANORAMA OF THE TYCHO LANDING SITE NASA, 10 January 1968 Printed 1967. Complete set of four vintage gelatin silver prints on fibre-based paper [NASA / USGS images 670806, 670807, 670808 and 670809]. With USGS credit stamps 'CENTRE OF ASTROGEOLOGY U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PHOTO NO. DATE FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA 86001' numbered '670806', '670807', '670808' and '670809' on the reverses (issued by NASA / United States Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona). Each: 25.4 x 20.3 cm. (10 x 8 in.) Historical context An extremely rare complete 360° mosaic panorama from Surveyor 7 – the final unmanned American lunar mission. This remarkable four-part mosaic presents a full 360° panoramic view of the Tycho landing site, meticulously assembled from images captured by Surveyor 7, the final mission of NASA's Surveyor program. Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under the leadership of principal investigator Eugene Shoemaker, this mosaic stands as both a scientific achievement and an artistic representation of the Moon's stark beauty—where science becomes art. Launched on January 7, 1968, and successfully landing on the lunar highlands two days later, Surveyor 7 was the only spacecraft of the program to touch down in such rugged terrain, making its mission a crucial scientific and photographic precursor to the Apollo Moon landings. It provided the first detailed study of the lunar highlands, a region dramatically different from the maria where all subsequent Apollo landings would take place. The four segments of this mosaic sweep across the barren yet strikingly textured landscape surrounding the lander, revealing the highlands' unique roughness and complex geology. The north-to-east-to-south-to-west-to-north sequence of images offers a rare, immersive perspective of the Moon's surface as seen from an unmanned spacecraft. The bright, reflective regolith and scattered boulders are illuminated under the stark, shadowless sunlight of the lunar day, creating an almost surreal, otherworldly effect. The Surveyor series played a pivotal role in lunar exploration, demonstrating soft-landing techniques and characterizing the Moon's surface to ensure the safety of future Apollo astronauts. With Surveyor 7, NASA's pioneering robotic exploration of the Moon came to an end, paving the way for the first humans to set foot on its surface just a year later. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing