Featured Images

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

A Rain of Rock

A rain of rock carved these craters west of Vavilov crater. The ground here, which is elevated relative to the surrounding terrain, intersected with rock and other ejected debris excavated during the formation of Vavilov crater. The...

Published on 28 May 2020

Sea of Night

Rim of Aepinus crater rising above a sea of dark during a winter night. Illuminated area 1.5 kilometers by 6.0 kilometers, NAC M1338480133LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 19 May 2020

Rilles and Rilles: Sinuous, Straight, and Arcuate

Rilles are all over the Moon! Controlled feature mosaics help us see these features with great detail. Pictured: Rimae Sulpicious Gallus (20°N Lat, 10°E Lon), Rima Sharp (46°N Lat, 309°E Lon), Rima Cauchy (10°N Lat, 38°E Lon)...

Published on 30 Apr 2020

Double Trouble: Messier A

Messier A crater (2.039°S, 46.887°E, 10.6 km across from north to south) feature mosaic, created from NAC images M1188059614LR, M1188045553LR, and M1188052583LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 01 Apr 2020

Feature Mosaics: Behind the Seams

A seamless mosaic of a portion of Karpinsky crater (91 km diameter, 72.61° N, 166.80°E) seamless mosaic. Scene is 55 km across, NAC images M1309496597L/R, M1309503618L/R, M1309510644L/R, M1309517669L/R, and M1309524696L/R...

Published on 16 Mar 2020

Plumbing the Depths by Scaling the Heights

The central mountainous peaks of Maunder crater are thought to be made of rock that was melted by the impact event that resulted in the Orientale basin. This impact melt rock deposit was then lifted up from below the surface during the...

Published on 19 Feb 2020

Vikram Lander Found

Vikram impact point and associated debris field. Green dots indicate spacecraft debris (confirmed or likely). Blue dots are locating disturbed soil, likely where small bits of the spacecraft churned up the regolith. "S" indicates debris...

Published on 02 Dec 2019

Longjiang-2 Impact Site Found!

The Longjiang-2 spacecraft (also known as DSLWP-B) crashed onto the lunar farside on 31 July 2019 after completing its orbital mission. This new crater was most likely the result of that impact. Image width 330 meters, north is up,...

Published on 14 Nov 2019

Dawn Over Bhabha Crater

Central peak complex of Bhabha crater (70 kilometer diameter) rising from the shadows of dawn, image snapped on 28 August 2019 from an altitude of 73 kiolmeters. View is seen from east-to-the west, north is to the right, visible portion...

Published on 22 Oct 2019

Obscured in the Lunar Highlands?

The Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram, attempted a landing September 7th Indian time (Friday the 6th in the United States), on a small patch of lunar highland smooth plains between Simpelius N and Manzinus C craters. Unfortunately the...

Published on 26 Sep 2019

"Oceanus Procellarum Base Here - The Eagle Has Landed"

In 1969, NASA published a map showing candidate Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 landing sites. The map was based on photographs taken using large Earth-based telescopes. The map above, based on an LROC global image mosaic, is a near-copy of...

Published on 09 Aug 2019

Almost a Hole-in-One

A geologic story in Antoniadi crater on the Moon's far side. North is toward the top. Image width 1.54 kilometers, NAC M1311837924LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 26 Jul 2019

What Lies Beneath

Spectacular contrasts of gray scale in the central peak of Jackson crater signal variations in both composition and maturity (degree of freshness of the surface). Image is 3100 meters wide, north is to the right, M1265842750LR...

Published on 19 Jul 2019

What Armstrong Saw

Simulated view of what Armstrong saw as the Lunar Module Eagle approached the aim point on the northeast flank of West crater (190 meters diameter). The odd shape of the image area is due to the small windows in the Eagle. North is to...

Published on 16 Jul 2019

How Spectacular is this View?!?!

Oblique view of what might be the most spectacular young crater on the Moon - Giordano Bruno. The imposing cliff in the background rises 3000 m above the melt pool seen in the middle ground (top of cliff not seen here). Scene is about 3...

Published on 15 Jul 2019