In the midst of the Space Race – a little over a year since Sputnik’s launch – the Soviet Union scored another win when Luna 1 took off for the Moon. On Jan. 2, 1959, the spacecraft launched, releasing a tail of glowing sodium gas the following day to help astronomers track it, and by Continue reading "Jan. 2, 1959: Luna 1 launches" The post Jan. 2, 1959: Luna 1 launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine .