Featured Images

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

First Look: Chang'e 5

Box indicates Chang'e 5 lander on the basaltic plains of Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms") on 02 December 2020 09:54 EST (14:53:55 UTC). The lander is the bright spot in the center of the outline. Image is 1210 meters wide; north...

Published on 04 Dec 2020

Keeps on Roving!

Arrows indicate Yutu-2 (left) and Chang'e 4 lander (right). Rover tracks are faintly visible between the lander and Yutu-2. LROC image acquired 18 October 2020, M1357657468LR, enlarged 2x [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 01 Dec 2020

Apollo 12 Fifty-first Anniversary

LROC low-altitude image of the Apollo 12 landing site. The Lunar Module descent stage, Apollo Lunar Science Experiment Package (ALSEP), and Surveyor III spacecraft are all visible along with astronaut tracks. Image is 275 meters wide,...

Published on 13 Nov 2020

Happy Halloween from the Moon

Happy Halloween from the Moon! This smiling jack-o'-lantern shaped crater is Gauss W. Formed by volcanic activity and cratering, check out this festive featured image! Gauss W Crater (34.62° S, 80.82° E) is 18.5 km across; NAC...

Published on 29 Oct 2020

Farside Impact: Crookes Crater

During the formation of Crookes crater (48 km diameter, 10.39° S, 194.92° E), its central peak rebounded after the extreme compression from the high-speed impactor, and a small sea of impact melt eventually solidified on the crater...

Published on 27 Oct 2020

The Highs and Lows of Ryder Crater

Ryder Crater (13 x 17 km across) controlled Feature Mosaic; located at 43.8° S, 143.2° E, north is up, LROC NAC images M1172098182, M1172105288, and M1172112395 [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 19 Oct 2020

Kepler Crater Landslide

Mass movement of rocky debris down the inner crater wall and onto the floor of Kepler crater. Image width  3 kilometers, north is up, M114206456LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 09 Oct 2020

A Lunar Donut: Bell E Crater

Bell E Crater (22.06° N , 264.06° E; ~16 km diameter) controlled feature mosaic made from images M1139534784L/R & M1139527672L/R  [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 02 Oct 2020

Double Whammy

Twin craters formed by the simultaneous impact of two projectiles. NAC image M1229857067L,R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 18 Aug 2020

Apennine Bench Formation: A Window into Ancient Volcanism

LROC Wide Angle Camera (WAC) 100 m/px mosaic with 6 colorized Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) of the Apennine Bench Formation (centered near 26° N, 356° E - here in Quickmap), an enigmatic light plains unit located on the central lunar...

Published on 29 Jun 2020