“During both our descent to, and ascent from the Moon, it was necessary to update the Lunar Module Challenger’s position using our onboard navigational telescope and Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC). To do so, we referenced this Star Chart to obtain the appropriate navigational coordinates to help determine our position. Today this star chart endures both as a historic relic of mankind’s first lunar landings, and as a fully-documented lunar-surface artifact returned to Earth from the Moon.”
A 16 inch by 7-1/5 inch Star Chart showing degrees of longitude and latitude around the edge. The sun, Earth, and four major planets are in color, and the important navigational stars are in white.
When the Star Charts for Apollo were designed, three stars’ names were made up by Gus Ivan Grissom as a tribute to his fellow Apollo 1 crew members. Star number 3 was named “NAVI,” which is Grissom’s middle name spelled backwards. Star number 17 was named “REGOR,” which is Roger (Chaffee) spelled backwards. Star number 20 was named “DNOCES,” which is Second (Ed White II) spelled backwards. After the tragic deaths of the Apollo 1 crew in a training accident, NASA honored the men by maintaining the names on all of the Star Charts.
24×27″ in frame
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From “Mooncollector” Jim Ruddy lifetime collection, When Jim turned 82 and his health was failing, he wanted to bundle his collection of lunar surface artifacts together in a single sale to someone who would care for them, and so he contacted me. I agreed to procure the collection and spent some time with him discussing each artifact at his home in Palm Springs. He was meticulous and carefully framed each precious treasure. Soon after I added this to the FV space collection in 2015, he passed away.
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