... M27: Not A Comet . 9.10.1998 . ... Far Side of the Moon . ... These North (left) and South Pole projections are based on SeaWiFS measurements made between September 1997 and July 1998. ... On July 20th, 1969, a human first set foot on the Moon. ... Despite the innocuous sounding name, the launch of the Earth's first "artificial moon", Sputnik 1, by the Soviets on October 4, 1957 shocked the free world, setting in motion events which resulted in the creation of NASA and the race to the Moon. ...