Featured Images

Reiner Gamma: Swirling in Mystery

Reiner Gamma lunar swirl (7.5° N, 301.0°E);  NAC controlled mosaic containing images, M1139307518L/R, M1139300406L/R, M1139286182L/R, M1139293294L/R, and M1108661104R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 26 May 2022

The Ins and Outs of Secondary Craters

Secondary craters and v-shaped ejecta. The largest crater at center is about 90 meters in diameter. LROC NAC image M1143115078RE, located at 4.549° S, 255.721° E [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 05 May 2022

Apollo 16 50th Anniversary: A New Landscape

A spectacular, labeled view of the Apollo 16 landing site between North Ray and South Ray craters in the Descartes Highlands, a new landscape for the crew and an exciting set of LROC team products to help celebrate the 50th anniversary...

Published on 20 Apr 2022

Lunar Terminator

Western portion of Mare Moscoviense seen under extreme lighting, east-to-west view snapped 25 August 2019. The illuminated rim in the background is an unnamed crater 21 kilometers in diameter (24.2°N, 146.3°E); spacecraft altitude was...

Published on 15 Apr 2022

Traversing the Shackleton de Gerlache Ridge

Amazing oblique view of the rim of Shackleton crater (on the left) and the Shackleton - de Gerlache ridge that runs from middle left to upper right. The south pole is near the small, sharp, bright crater on the rim of Shackleton (left...

Published on 01 Apr 2022

Schrödinger Vent - A Region Rich with Lunar Treats

A digital terrain model (DTM) mosaic of the Schrödinger pyroclastic vent (centered at -75.27°N, 139.29°E - here in Quickmap ) located on the floor of Schrödinger basin where the elevation is relative to the average radius of the...

Published on 04 Mar 2022

NAC Anaglyph: Alphonsus Vent

A dike (subsurface magma body) was likely intruded under the floor of Alphonsus crater creating an array of fractures seen here. Image is 5700 meters wide, north is towards the top [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 19 Feb 2022

Topography of the Taurus-Littrow Valley

Color-shaded relief map of the Taurus-Littrow Valley (APOLLO17 DTM mosaic) made from eleven NAC stereo pairs [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 11 Feb 2022

A “Secondary” View of Copernicus

NAC DTM showing a chain of Copernicus secondaries (15.5°N, 343.4°E). North is pointing right [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 04 Feb 2022

First to See the Farside

First photograph (BW) taken of the famous Apollo 8 Earthrise sequence, the following images were acquired with color film [AS08-13-2329, NASA].

Published on 24 Dec 2021

Saturn 2021

Saturn and Jupiter have been a comforting presence in the evening sky for the past several months. On October 13, 2021, LRO slewed to allow LROC to acquire this magnificent view revealing Saturn and its rings. NAC M1388758232L...

Published on 22 Nov 2021

Gruithuisen Domes: A Lunar Mystery

NASA is planning to send a lander and rover to the beautiful Gruithuisen Domes, seen in this controlled mosaic, and LROC images will help guide the way. The domes are located at 36.3° N, 319.8° E. Image 55 km wide, north is up...

Published on 14 Oct 2021

From the Moon to Jupiter, with Love

Jupiter seen from the Moon, as imaged by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera on 20 August 2021. Two of Jupiter's moons, Io and Europa, can just barely be seen here to the right of Jupiter (keep reading for a labeled version). Scene...

Published on 14 Sep 2021

Apollo 15: A Mission of Many Firsts

Highlights of the Apollo 15 landing site, as seen in LROC NAC image M175252641R. This image has a resolution of 27 cm/px, and shows an area of 262 m by 186 m. The Lunar Module is clearly visible, as are many tracks from the Lunar Roving...

Published on 30 Jul 2021

Boulder Tracks: Race to the Bottom of Chaplygin Crater!

Boulders ejected from Chaplygin B crater rolled down the wall of the much larger Chaplygin crater (4.1ºS, 151.7ºE) leaving these spectacular tracks. Image 980 meters wide, north is up [NASA/GFSC/Arizona State University].

Published on 15 Jul 2021

Mass Wasting: Klute Crater

Mass wasting in Klute Crater (36.79° S, 217.7°E)  NAC controlled mosaic containing images, M1155169631LR, M1155162511LR, M1155155392LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 26 Apr 2021

IMPs: Young Lunar Volcanism?

Irregular Mare Patch located inside Sosigenes Crater (8.7° N, 17.5° E), approximately 17 km across. NAC controlled mosaic containing images M1264703188L/R, M1264710221L/R, and M1264717254L/R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 24 Feb 2021

Chang'e 5: After Blast Off

Chang'e 5 descent stage seen just before sunset on 7 Februray 2021, M136736629LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 19 Feb 2021

Apollo 14 Fiftieth Anniversary!

Apollo 14 landing site (4.646°S, 342.528°E) showing the two extra-vehicular activities (EVAs; orange = EVA1 and teal = EVA2) with stations (pink triangles), and geologic features (white dots). 

Published on 05 Feb 2021

Great Conjunction!

Yesterday afternoon (21 December 2020 21:15 UTC) LRO turned around and swept LROC across deep space to capture an amazing image of the Jupiter–Saturn conjunction. Saturn brightness increased 4x to match Jupiter; NAC M1363224501R...

Published on 22 Dec 2020