Featured Images

Lava Flows Exposed in Bessel Crater

Spectacular example of layering exposed in the wall of Bessel crater (21.8°N, 17.9°E). Image number M135073175R, incidence angle 13°, image is 500 meters across [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 19 Apr 2011

The Moon as seen by MESSENGER!

Image of Earth's moon taken by MESSENGER's Wide Angle Camera [NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington].

Published on 18 Mar 2011

Right Angle

A section of a lobate scarp inside Karrer crater. NAC frame M145557281R, incidence is 71°, image is 0.64 m/px [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 10 Mar 2011

Buckland Boulders

The two white arrows point to a likely outcrop of bedrock in this wrinkle ridge. LROC NAC M109141090L, image is 0.5 m/pixel, incidence angle is 21° [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 09 Mar 2011

Boulder in Recht Crater

Inside the wall of Recht crater rests a 130 meter long boulder. Image resolution is 0.56 m/px and the incidence angle is 20° [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 08 Mar 2011

Sinuous Chain of Depressions

A single depression from a larger sinuous chain of pits located at 34.6°N, 43.5°W in NAC frame M102443238R. This chain may host uncollapsed lava tubes between the depressions that are suitable for human habitation. Image is 1.5 km wide...

Published on 17 Feb 2011

Crater Mendeleev

The LROC WAC 100 m/pixel monochrome mosaic shows the entire Crater Mendeleev (313 km in diameter). The white box marks the location of Catena Mendeleev [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 03 Feb 2011

Inside Catena Mendeleev

Texture on inside wall of a crater in the Catena Mendeleev, a linear crater chain located inside Mendeleev crater. LROC NAC M113038958R, incidence 46°, image is 0.5 m/pixel [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 02 Feb 2011

Stratified Ejecta Blocks

A stratified ejecta block around an unnamed fresh crater on the far side of the Moon, NAC frame M110757216R (127.61°E, 13.13°N). Incidence angle is 24°, scale is 0.58 m/px [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 01 Feb 2011

Gassendi A

Impact melt material inside of the crater Gassendi A, which intrudes into the northern rim of the larger crater Gassendi. LROC NAC image M107136013L, image width is 840 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 05 Nov 2010

Gassendi's Fractures

This intersection of two fractures within the crater Gassendi forms a rough "Y," with boulders concentrated on the northern wall of the intersection. NAC frame M104770486L, image width is 946 m, incidence angle is 51 degrees...

Published on 04 Nov 2010

Gassendi's Central Peak

Close up of a boulder (25 meters or two school buses wide) on the central peak of crater Gassendi. LROC NAC frame M109495053R, image width is 450 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 03 Nov 2010

Bowditch Lava Terraces

NAC view of a part of the lava terrace within the Bowditch feature. The wall of Bowditch is on the right and the terrace is located between the two dashed white lines. LROC NAC image M101478053R, image width is 2400 m, incidence angle...

Published on 02 Nov 2010

Ejecta Blanket

The pattern of ejecta from a young crater is still preserved on the floor of Van de Graaff crater. The variations in albedo (bright and dark areas in the ejecta) indicate either different surface exposure times, grain sizes, or...

Published on 23 Sep 2010

Immature Ejecta

This crater in the floor of Van de Graaff crater has a high reflectance ejecta blanket compared to the surrounding low reflectance material. The contrast in albedo is due to the crater excavating "fresh" or "immature" material from...

Published on 22 Sep 2010

Ejecta from Van de Graaff Crater

The texture of ejecta thrown from Van de Graaff Crater along the northern rim, seen from a low Sun angle in the NAC image (incidence angle is 72°). This subset of the NAC image M115177455R has a width of 980 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...

Published on 21 Sep 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

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