Featured Images

Impact!

The twin GRAIL spacecraft impacted the Moon on 17 December 2012, LROC was able to image the impact craters on 28 February 2013 showing them both to be about 5 meters in diameter. Upper panels show the area before the impact; lower...

Published on 19 Mar 2013

Schiaparelli E

A recent impact in Oceanus Procellarum produced a spectacular, circular melt pond (27.126°N; 62.068°W). NAC frame M176684041L, illumination is from the east, north is up, image is ~1.8 km wide [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 27 Feb 2013

Wrinkle Ridge in Mare Crisium

A complex wrinkle ridge in Mare Crisium at low Sun (illumination is from the right). Boulders occupy the tops of mounds on the west ridge, and the central depression is more heavily cratered than the ridge. LROC NAC M146573730RE, image...

Published on 13 Feb 2013

Ebb and Flow Finale

The two GRAIL spacecraft, Ebb and Flow, as imaged by the LROC NAC in lunar orbit at different times (A on 7th October, B on 8th October 2012) [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 17 Dec 2012

Approach to Taurus Littrow Valley

View similar to what the Apollo 17 astronauts saw as they approached their landing in the magnificent Taurus Littrow Valley. LROC NAC east-to-west oblique image pair, about 18 km wide in center, M192703697LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...

Published on 12 Dec 2012

Physics is Fun!

A gradational distribution of boulders inside a crater. LROC image M176224625L, image width is 500 meters [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 04 Dec 2012

Surveyor 7 - America's Last Lunar Unmanned Lander

Surveyor 7, sitting on the ejecta blanket of Tycho Crater, was the last spacecraft of the Surveyor series, and the only to land in the lunar highlands. NAC M175355093L, image width is 500 m. Inset is zoomed 4x [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...

Published on 07 Sep 2012

Sampling a Central Peak

Boulders from the central peak of Moretus crater litter the crater floor. NAC M185904952R, image width is ~852 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 09 Aug 2012

Question Answered!

LRO slewed 19° down-Sun allowing the illuminated side of the still standing American flag to be captured at the Apollo 17 landing site. M113751661L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 27 Jul 2012

Copernicus Central Peak From The West

West-to-east view of Copernicus crater central peak complex. The sharp boundary at the base of the 700 meter high peak in the foreground is a now frozen sea of impact melt that flooded the floor of the crater in its final stages of...

Published on 18 Jul 2012

Sunset Over Giordano Bruno

Slump terrace in the northern half of Giordano Bruno crater seen at sunset, from an altitude of 54 km. Terrace is 4800 meters wide, NAC M165190579LR [NASA/GSFC/ Arizona State University].

Published on 06 Jul 2012

Copernicus Central Peak

Copernicus crater central peak casts a long shadow to the west over a crater floor that was flooded with impact melt that cooled and hardened to form this spectacular landscape. LROC NAC M193025138LR, image width is 1350 m...

Published on 27 Jun 2012

Astronaut's Eye View of Apollo 16 Site

Oblique LROC NAC image of the Apollo 16 landing site, viewpoint is east to west.  South Ray crater is center left and North Ray crater is center right, distance between two crater centers is 10.5 km. LROC NAC M192817484LR...

Published on 19 Jun 2012

Hyginus Crater and Pyroclastics

A 145 m crater on the rim of Hyginus Crater uncovers dark, most likely pyroclastic material. LROC NAC M155193272R, 504 m wide [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 14 Jun 2012

Inside Hyginus Crater

Collapse features within Hyginus Crater. LROC NAC image M104476560L, 1240 m wide [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 12 Jun 2012

Pyroclastic Excavation

An impact excavated low-reflectance pyroclastics. NAC M170613335L, image width 500 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 07 Jun 2012

View From The Other Side

Summit of Tycho crater central peak seen from west-to-east; the rough material on the floor of the crater in the upper right formed as a massive pool of impact melt solidified. LROC NAC M181286769L,R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 21 May 2012

Orion, Up Close

Low orbit view of Apollo 16 landing site, image width 250 meters, M175179080 [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 23 Apr 2012

1000 Day Anniversary of LROC Imaging

Rim of Shackleton crater near the lunar South Pole as seen in the first LROC NAC image of the Moon, acquired on 30 June 2009. Image is 850 m across, NAC M101013931 [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 26 Mar 2012

Ryder Spectacular!

Boulders, slopes, and shadows inside Ryder Crater. Distance across base of shadow is about 1800 meters (NAC M176670797) [NASA/GSFC/ Arizona State University].

Published on 21 Mar 2012