Featured Images
Necho's Terraces
Closeup view of the spectacular western terrace of Necho crater. NAC image M134388215R; scene width is 660 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 31 Aug 2010
Hummocky Terrain
NAC image M115475912R shows hummocky terrain north of the central peak of Tsiolkovskiy, still within the crater rim but outside the region flooded by mare basalt. The hummocks formed as the crater rebounded after the shock of impact...
Published on 26 Aug 2010
Central Peak/Mare Boundary
The central peak of Tsiolkovskiy crater is surrounded with mare basalt. This NAC frame shows where boulders rolled down the central peak and onto the mare basalt (note the boulder trails). The central peaks of larger lunar craters like...
Published on 25 Aug 2010
Fractures in the mare of Tsiolkovskiy Crater
Small fractures in the mare floor of Tsiolkovskiy Crater are a departure from the usual scene of smooth mare pitted with impact craters. As the mare cools, fractures like these can form, or these fractures might have formed due to...
Published on 24 Aug 2010
Photogrammetric Processing of LROC NAC Stereo Images
High-resolution 3D Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of a lunar crater created from a LROC NAC stereo pair. The scale bar on the left is the elevation in meters [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University/Ohio State University].
Published on 12 Aug 2010
Volcanoes in Lacus Mortis
Most of the craters on the Moon formed through impact processes. However, some craters, like the one visible in this portion of LROC NAC frame M131488521R, may be a volcano summit pit crater. Crater diameter is ~400 m, the image width...
Published on 10 Aug 2010
A path not taken
Mare surface in Sinus Aestuum near a lunar exploration site proposed in the late 1950s. Image width is 460 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 05 Aug 2010
Concentric crater
The inner rim of Gruithuisen K (35.4° N, 317.3° E) in LROC NAC frame M111877130L. Image width is 510 meters, north is up, and sunlight is from the lower right [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 04 Aug 2010
Remnants of the Imbrium impact
Mare basalts embayed ejecta structures formed by the massive Imbrium impact in LROC NAC image M131501983R. Arrows denote the contact between younger mare basalts and older Imbrium ejecta, image width is 902 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...
Published on 03 Aug 2010
A molten flood
A flood of impact melt swept away from the rim of Necho crater. NAC image M119041553; scene width is 540 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 29 Jul 2010
Not your average complex crater
The small, irregular terraces on the walls of Bürg Crater and the debris piles and outcropping wall material, with strong variations in reflectance, only hint at the geologic diversity of this complex crater. Bürg's crater rim is on the...
Published on 28 Jul 2010
New Impact Crater on the Moon!
New impact crater on the Moon! Since this crater is not visible in images from the Apollo 15 mission, it formed sometime in the last 38 years. The new crater is only ~10 meters (30 feet) across, but its bright ejecta extends much...
Published on 27 Jul 2010
A Dark Cascade at Sulpicius Gallus
LROC NAC close-up of the wall of a suspected volcanic vent within the regional pyroclastic deposit near Sulpicius Gallus. Image M124505982R, view is 517 m across [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 22 Jul 2010
Bhabha sinks into the shadows
Last rays striking central peak of Bhabha crater just before sunset. View from the west looking east; image M133982125 [NASA/GSFC/Arizina State University].
Published on 21 Jul 2010
Up from the depths
Close up view of the central peak of Aristarchus crater, 700 meters wide, NAC M122523410 [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 19 Jul 2010
How Common are Mare Pit Craters?
One of three large pit craters so far found on the Moon -- do these pits provide access to open lava tubes? Image is 1170 meters wide, LROC NAC M106662246R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 14 Jul 2010
The Moon's largest impact basin
A crater within a crater within a basin: the interior of the South Pole-Aitken basin is one of the most compelling destinations on the Moon. NAC image M103196768LE; scene width is 520 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 13 Jul 2010
Apollo 16, Footsteps Under High Sun
High-sun image of the Apollo 16 landing site showing the lunar module descent stage, various pieces of equipment, and disturbed lunar soil (seen as darker lines and areas) which marks where John Young and Charles Duke traversed in the...
Published on 08 Jul 2010
Linné Crater
Linné crater (2.2 km diameter) is a beautifully preserved young mare crater. Small white arrows indicate layering preserved just below the rim; these rock outcrops probably represent discrete lava flow deposits [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...
Published on 06 Jul 2010
Wrinkle ridge in Oceanus Procellarum
Exposed boulders are clustered on the crest of a sharply defined wrinkle ridge, much like sprinkles on an ice cream cone. Image width is 680 m and illumination is from the lower left in LROC NAC M117881169R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...
Published on 02 Jul 2010