The photographs contained 1100 scan lines with a maximum resolution of 14.9-19.8 m. Pictures of the lunar surface were returned on October 27, 1966.

The Soviet press released the first photos taken of the surface on October 29—pictures that showed the Sea of Rains and the Aristarchus crater.

Luna 12 was the first soviet probe where deliberate steps were taken to prevent interception of its signals by Jodrell Bank Observatory.

[2] When the probe was in the field of view of the observatory it began switch its signals between two different frequencies, something Jodrell Bank was not able to follow.

[2] On January 21, 1967, the Soviet news agency TASS announced that Luna 12 had completed its mission, breaking contact with ground stations.