In preparation of the United States landing a man on the Moon, Gerard Kuiper created four lunar atlases from 1960 to 1967. The first three atlases were based on the best lunar images from Mount Wilson, Lick, Pic du Midi, McDonald, and Yerkes observatories.
1. PHOTOGRAPHIC LUNAR ATLAS / D. W. G. Arthur, E. Moore, J. W. Tapscott, and E. A. Whitaker ; Edited by G. P. Kuiper. – Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1960.
In box 18”x22”x3” – Weight: 22 lbs. – Approximately 220 plates – Scale: 100” to Moon’s diameter (1:1,370,000)
The atlas presents images at a uniform scale and shows the selected regions with various illuminations. It was used to measure crater diameters.
Located:
QB595 .P56 1960 LPL Library—MAP/OVERSIZE ATLAS
QB595 .K84 1960 Space Imagery Center—ATLAS
Online: https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/sic/collection/pla
2. ORTHOGRAPHIC ATLAS OF THE MOON : SUPPLEMENT NO. 1 TO THE PHOTOGRAPHIC LUNAR ATLAS / D. W. G. Arthur and E. A. Whitaker ; Edited by G. P. Kuiper. – Tucson : University of Arizona Press, 1960.
In post binder 19”x23” – Uses selected prints from above at same scale.
The atlas used the same images as its predecessor with the addition of a latitude and longitude grid.
Located:
QB595 .A73 No. 1 Science & Engineering Library--SUPER FOLIO
QB595 .A73 No. 1 Main Library--MICROFORMS
EDITION A – Orthographic grid:
Part 1 – Central Area
Part 2 – Limb Area
Printed on paper with red cloth covers as No. 1 of the “Publications of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.”
Located:
QB595 .O7 1961 Space Imagery Center--ATLAS
EDITION B – Orthographic grid and latitude/longitude grid:
Part 1 – Central Area
Part 2 – Limb Area
Printed on Tensalex, a supposedly permanent plastic-coated paper with blue cloth covers as No. 2 of the “Publications of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.”
Located:
QB595 .O7 1961 Space Imagery Center—ATLAS
3. RECTIFIED LUNAR ATLAS : SUPPLEMENT NO. 2 TO THE PHOTOGRAPHIC LUNAR ATLAS / E. A Whitaker, G. P. Kuiper, W. K. Hartmann, and L. H. Spradley. – Tucson : University of Arizona Press, 1963.
Bound volume 19”x15” with blue covers as No. 3 of the “Contributions (formerly named Publications) of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.” Scale: 1:3,500,000 approximately.
The purpose of the atlas was to present high-quality photographs of the lunar surface as it would appear from above. They did this by projecting a lunar image onto a hemisphere and then re-photographing it from a constant distance. The technique removes foreshortening. Craters near the limb, which appear elliptical in shape on normal photographs, become nearly circular in the rectified photographs.
Located:
QB595 .R43 1963 LPL Library—MAP/OVERSIZE ATLAS
QB595 .R44 1963 Space Imagery Center—ATLAS
QB595 .A73 no. 3 Science & Engineering Library--SUPER FOLIO
QB595 .A73 no. 3 Special Collections Library--ELEPHANT OVERSIZE
Online: https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/sic/collection/rla
4. CONSOLIDATED LUNAR ATLAS : SUPPLEMENT NO. 3 and 4 to the PHOTOGRAPHIC LUNAR ATLAS / G. P. Kuiper, E. A. Whitaker, R. G. Strom, J. W. Fountain, and S. M. Larson. – Tucson : University of Arizona Press, 1967.
In box 12”x14”x4” of 225 prints on glossy photographic paper. Average scale: 1:2,400,000 (Moon about 57” diameter).
Images for the atlas were taken with the 61-inch telescope located on Mount Bigelow in the Catalina Mountains. The atlas was a remake of the "Photographic Lunar Atlas," but the resolution was much higher because of improvements in telescopes and photography
Located:
QB595 .C66 1967 LPL Library—MAP/OVERSIZE ATLAS
QB595 .C66 1967 Space Imagery Center
Online: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/cla/
In addition to these atlases, related publications are:
THE SYSTEM OF LUNAR CRATERS / D. W. G. Arthur, R. H. Pellicori, and C. A. Wood. – Tucson : University of Arizona Press, 1963-1966.
Quadrant I, II, III, and IV published as No. 30, 40, 50, and 70 respectively of the “Contributions of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.” These list all nearside craters down to about 5km diameter.
Located:
QB4 .A8 LPL Library
LUNAR DESIGNATIONS AND POSITIONS / D. W. Arthur and A. P. Agnieray. – Tucson : University of Arizona Press, 1967.
This is a reissue of the accompanying maps to the above title.
Located:
Lunar and Planetary Institute Library—MAP FLATS