Stony Brook University has always been “far beyond!” Samples of lunar soil collected during the Apollo 11 spaceflight to the moon in July 1969 were exhibited in the Earth and Space Sciences building on October 19, 1972. SBU professor and renowned scientist Oliver A. Schaeffer and a research team analyzed lunar rocks from several Apollo missions. They determined the moon was 3.5 billion years old, which was an important research discovery, as the age was much older than previously thought. Learn more about SBU’s history by visiting the website of Special Collections and University Archives.

Kristen Nyitray
Associate Librarian; Director, Special Collections and University Archives; and University Archivist at Stony Brook University Libraries
Contact her for research assistance with rare books, manuscript collections, historical maps, and SBU history. E-mail: kristen.nyitray@stonybrook.edu.
Latest posts by Kristen Nyitray (see all)
- Art Across Campus: Recapping Stony Brook’s Fall Art Crawl - October 9, 2025
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- SBU Libraries Hosts Javits Family and Panel Discussion Celebrating $1 Million Gift and Senator Javits’ Legacy - September 29, 2025