Featured Images

Casting a Long Shadow

Sun angle profoundly affects the surface features of the Chang'e 3 landing site. When the Sun is higher in the sky (low incidence angle), the tracks left by the Yutu rover and the bright blast zone around the lander are most visible....

Published on 09 Oct 2014

Two Faces of Mars (from the Moon)

Moon-facing hemisphere of Mars on 8 May 2014 at 14:27:04 UTC seen from lunar orbit! Instruments on LRO sometimes use stars and planets for calibration or other special observations. During one of these off-Moon observations, LROC...

Published on 30 Sep 2014

Striped Crater

Dark mantle deposits decorate a crater wall. Slowly pulled downhill by gravity, the volcanic glasses that compose these stripes where formed during explosive volcanic eruptions on the Moon. The scene is 952m wide from NAC image...

Published on 25 Aug 2014

Banded Slump in Berzelius W

A complex interplay of slumping and slides in the northwest wall of Berzelius W result in banding patterns; downslope is toward the bottom right. LROC NAC M174921824R; image width 600 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 24 Jul 2014

A Colorful History of Floor-Fractured Komarov

A small, fresh crater dots the wall of a fracture in the floor of Komarov crater. Image taken from LROC NAC frame M130653607. Image width is approximately 2.5 km [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 23 Jan 2014

It Is All Downhill From Here

LROC NAC image (M1131216329LR) of the southeast wall of Dugan J, where material flowed downward and came to rest at the base of the crater wall. Image is ~2 km wide [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 12 Nov 2013

Looking East Over Reiner Gamma

LROC NAC oblique image looking west to east over the Reiner Gamma Formation (7.409°N, 300.972°E, north is to the left). Image is ~22 km wide (M1127569280). Arrows highlight a scarp formed by thrust faulting [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...

Published on 19 Sep 2013

Wrinkled Reiner Gamma

LROC NAC color shaded relief (centered at 301.240°E, 7.416°N) showing part of a wrinkle ridge crosscutting the Reiner Gamma formation. Color represents elevation; derived from NAC DTM "REINER4" [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 17 Sep 2013

Bright and Dark Ejecta

A relatively recent impact event distributed ejecta across the lunar surface. Smaller craters punch through the ejecta to reveal a darker substrate. LROC NAC M139782204LE, image width is 500 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 10 Sep 2013

Boulders In The Sea Of Serenity

A wrinkle ridge in western Mare Serenitatis is littered with boulders and high-albedo (bright) areas. Image is ~1.5 km across, NAC M106826896L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 09 Jan 2013

Symmetric Ejecta

A symmetric "starburst" ejecta blanket exposed with high Sun angle. Image is 660 m wide, LROC NAC frame M108108187L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 08 Jan 2013

Pyroclastic Trails

Northeastern rim of unnamed crater located in Southern Sinus Aestuum. NAC M144680787R, image width is 612 m. Downslope is to the bottom-right, incidence angle is 49.4° [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 06 Sep 2012

A Beautiful Impact

Young impact craters sometimes present a striking array of tones in their ejecta. Illumination is from the southeast, image is ~500 m across, LROC NAC M156964572L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 31 May 2012

How Young is Young?

Area on the southeastern rim of North Ray crater, explored by Apollo 16 astronauts John Young and Charlie Duke, revealed in the new low altitude LROC image M175179080LR. Image is 300 meters wide, black arrows show foot tracks...

Published on 08 Mar 2012

Oblong Roche V

The boundary between the flooded crater floor and the Roche V crater wall is subtle, except for locations where a distinct pinch represents the contact between units. LROC NAC M159100166R, image width is 590 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...

Published on 06 Dec 2011

Detour!

A high albedo granular flow traveled down the wall of Dionysius crater. Why is the flow curving around the crater floor? LROC NAC M111484008R, image width is 500 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 28 Nov 2011

Polka-dot Ejecta

A blanket of fresh ejecta is dotted with smaller low albedo craters. LROC NAC M123513537R, image width is 560 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 23 Nov 2011

On the Shore of the Bay of Rainbows

A pair of small craters show different albedos within a spectacular ejecta display along the shore of Sinus Iridum (47.9°N, 31.7°W). NAC image M104726204L, incidence angle 65°, Sun is from the southwest, north is up, image is ~1.6 km...

Published on 21 Sep 2011

Dark-haloed crater in Mare Humorum

Dark- and light-toned lunar soils contrast sharply in this striking image of a dark-haloed crater in Mare Humorum (24.8°S, 45.0°W). NAC image number M140203430R; incidence angle 24°; Sun is from the north; north is up; image is ~450...

Published on 07 Jun 2011

Dry debris or liquid flow?

A granular debris flow on the wall of Stevinus A (downhill to the right). A 7 m diameter boulder impedes the progress of the flow, which bifurcates and reconnects about 10 m downhill. LROC NAC M154893929R, image is 500 m across...

Published on 02 Jun 2011