Featured Images

Gruithuisen: Collapsed Lava Tube?

The spectacular sinuous landform shown above is thought to be a collapsed lava tube (34.7°N, 316.6°E), located near Gruithuisen K crater. NAC controlled mosaic containing images M1173350480L/R, M1173357586L/R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona...

Published on 06 Oct 2023

The West Side of Plato Crater

Western Plato crater (at right) and the geologically complex region west of its rim — part of a controlled and corrected mosaic made up of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images. The late afternoon...

Published on 18 Jan 2019

Layered Target

Spectacular view across the rim of Wallach crater (5700 meter diameter), acquired when LRO was 93 kilometers above the surface, M1236317761LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 11 Sep 2018

Aristarchus Crater

The Aristarchus crater (40 kilometer diameter, 23.73°N, 312.51°E) and plateau is one of the most geologically complex areas on the Moon. In this amazing picture, the LRO spacecraft slewed 62° (west-to-east) looking across the crater....

Published on 04 Aug 2018

Exploring the Lunar Subsurface

What a great place to explore! Two collapsed segments of a lava tube run from the southwest to the northeast. These collapsed segments may provide access to the subsurface, which has never been directly sampled. The average width of the...

Published on 05 Nov 2014

New Evidence For Young Lunar Volcanism!

One of many newly-discovered young volcanic deposits on the Moon (4.330°N, 33.750°E), this example is near the crater Maskelyne. The direction of sunlight is from the right and north is up, NAC M1123370138R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...

Published on 12 Oct 2014

Tadpole and Lava Tube

An irregularly shaped depression, resembling a tadpole (center left), which is part of a sinuous chain of pits. The black arrow indicates the beginning of the pit chain that trends to the southeast. This feature is about 8 km long and...

Published on 29 Aug 2014

Mare Pit Topography!

The crisp morphology of the central Mare Fecunditatis pit (white arrow) stands out in elevation data and suggests a relatively young age. This pit is about 200-m in length and 45 m deep. Image width is 5 km; north is up. Color...

Published on 27 Aug 2014

A Kink in Rima Krieger

Rima Krieger winds its way through Oceanus Procellarum. Image width is ~ 3.5 km. Taken from LROC NAC image M1152172510R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 20 May 2014

Swept Slopes of Herigonius

Banded layers of mare basalts revealed in the east wall of Herigonius crater. The crater rim crest is located outside the top of the image (north to the left). Debris and boulders accumulate downslope (bottom) toward the crater floor....

Published on 08 Apr 2014

Stratification in a Tranquil Sea

Bright talus winds downslope through crags and crannies in the banded scarps exposed in the east wall of Dionysius crater. Horizontal lineations result from differential mass wasting of stratified rock in Mare Tranquilitatis; LROC NAC...

Published on 13 Mar 2014

Down the Mountain

Northern slope (top) of an unnamed mountain in Montes Carpatus; image center at 17.438°N, 331.221°E; image width is 1320 m; downslope is toward the top; north is up; LROC NAC M186077208R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University]. 

Published on 28 Feb 2014

Collapsing Tube

Uneven depression near the north end of Rima Suess. Image center 9.109°N, 311.396°E; image width is 1.38 km; illumination from left; incidence angle is 67°; north is up; NAC M1112132406L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University]. 

Published on 30 Jan 2014

Diversity of Basaltic Lunar Volcanism

A diverse range of volcanic morphologies: a sinuous rille, blocky lava flows, and pyroclastic cones found in a portion of the controlled LROC NAC mosaic "NAC_ROI_MARIUS_ _LOC_E138N3037" centered on 303.861°E, 13.476°N; image is...

Published on 05 Nov 2013

Rima Marius Layering

Basalt layering is visible in the wall of this portion of Rima Marius. Image width is ~1.3 km, LROC NAC image M1103881010R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University]. 

Published on 27 Jun 2013

The Fourth Mairan Dome

A volcanic dome in northeastern Oceanus Procellarum. LROC NAC M1119207667R, image is ~3.1 km across [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 17 Apr 2013

Copernicus Collapse

Collapse feature in the impact melt within the floor of Copernicus crater. NAC M168333206L, image width is 430 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 05 Mar 2013

Channels And Fractures

Stratigraphic relationships within impact melt deposits may be discovered with diligent observation! NAC M185971152L, image width ~1.8 km [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 17 Jan 2013

Exposed Layers

Southern portion of Piton B crater wall. LROC NAC M168203756R, image width is 500 m, image center is 39.292°N, 359.883°E. North is down [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 14 Nov 2012

Pyroclastics and Vent

Southern rim of an unnamed vent near Rimae Hevelius. NAC M137977638R, image width is 500 m. Downslope is to the top [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 05 Sep 2012