This is the first ever photograph taken of the Moon. The first. 170 years ago!
I was directed to the image by Twitter friend LouisS and I felt compelled to post it on Astroengine.com. Much like the 1911 Martian canal post last month, this serves as a reminder about the heritage of modern astronomy that dates back not decades, but centuries.
The 1839 photograph was taken by British ex-pat John William, a chemistry professor in the New York University, using a silver platinum plate.
astroengine.com 