Seeing space: Astronomical anniversaries celebrated in Scottish exhibition as collection of Neil Armstrong goes under the hammer

Astronaut Anders’ photograph of 'Earthrise' was famous in its day and well beyond. Taken in 1968, the vintage chromogenic print was published by NASA and is at Ingleby Gallery’s exhibition Jacob’s Ladder opening this week.

• Frances Allitt
  
• 25 Jul 2018

The first event, in April 1968, was the release of Stanley Kubrick’s science fiction epic, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film, based on a story by Arthur C Clark, quickly captured the public imagination and remained influential in depictions of space for the remainder of the 20^th century.

Then, in December, Apollo 8 crewman William Anders’ colour photograph of ‘earthrise’ from the lunar surface made the front page of newspapers around the world. Anders described it as “our home planet…rising up above the stark and battered lunar horizon…the only colour against the deep blackness of space, beautifully and clearly delicate.”

It is one of a series of vintage NASA photographs that are included at Ingleby’s exhibition, Jacob’s Ladder, which runs from July 26-October 20. These are complemented by various historical works, such as pages from Johann Bayer’s Uranometria (1639) and Georges Méliès’ 1902 film A Trip to the Moon.

They are shown alongside works by contemporary artists whose works explore the relationship between the Earth and other planets. Prices range from £2200-£60,000.

The exhibition is presented in partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research Collections’ show Astronomy Victorious (July 29-October 27). It comprises rare books and objects spanning five centuries, beginning with works by Galileo and Copernicus up to works of the present day with more works by contemporary artists.

Armstrong Family Collection

This month also marks the 49th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, which touched down on July 20, 1969.

Later this year, Heritage Auctions in the US offers a series of objects, fresh to the market, that relate to the landing from the collection of astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, and his family. A sale in November is the first of three in a series that continues until November 2019.

However, the collection also includes artefacts from the first successful manned flight, completed on the Wright Brothers Flyer in 1903. Armstrong carried these fragments of the wing and propeller with him on Apollo 11.