Featured Images
Ilmenite Seen with Ultraviolet Light
The low-reflectance portions of the Moon are composed of mare basalts, which formed via large eruptions of lava in the ancient lunar past. Variations in reflectance within the mare depend on composition, in particular, the abundance of...
Published on 01 Dec 2017
The History of Volcanism in the Moon's Largest Basin
A view of the Moon's largest impact feature, the South Pole–Aitken basin, so named because it stretches between Aitken crater and the south pole. The orthographic projection here centered on the basin (53°S, 191°E) highlights how much...
Published on 02 Nov 2017
Investigating Newly Discovered Lobate Scarps
Joy scarp (25.28°N, 6.84°E) extends from the lower left to upper right across this scene, and is found northeast of Joy crater (not seen) in a hummocky terrain between Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis. Ejecta from the fresh, 300-m...
Published on 05 Oct 2017
Spacecraft Related Coordinates - 2016 Update
Luna 17, the intrepid lander that carried the Lunokhod 1 rover to the surface. You can make out the rover's tracks around the lander, the tight circles were formed as the Earth-bound drivers tested out the maneuverability of their just...
Published on 25 Nov 2016
Dynamic Moon!
A brand new crater on the Moon! This new 12 meter (39 foot) diameter impact crater formed between 25 October 2012 and 21 April 2013 and was discovered in a temporal ratio image (after/before) created from two Narrow Angle Camera (NAC)...
Published on 12 Oct 2016
What's Next for LRO?
LRO and LROC will continue to explore the Moon during the mission's third extended mission to understand fundamental processes that shape our Solar System.
Published on 22 Aug 2016
Lunar Exploration: Planning The Next Steps
Optimal traverse located around persistently illuminated points on the rim of Shackleton crater (SR-1, SR-2, and SR-3) and the connecting ridge between Shackleton and de Gerlache crater (CR-1, CR-2, and CR-3) as well as a permanently...
Published on 13 Jul 2016
Age of the Compton-Belkovich Volcanic Complex
A small portion of the Compton-Belkovich Volcanic Complex (61.20°; N, 100.27°; E) as you would see it from the window of your personal lunar module flying at an altitude of 52 km above the surface, looking to the west-southwest. The...
Published on 29 Jun 2016
A Landing Site for Russia's Luna-Glob
A portion of a new geologic map of the interior of Boguslawsky crater, proposed site of the next Russian mission to the lunar surface [Ivanov et al., 2015].
Published on 22 Jun 2016
Regolith Porosity from Orbit
Apollo 11 photograph of boot-print in the lunar regolith (cropped version of AS11-40-5878).
Published on 08 Jun 2016
Mt. Marilyn: Navigating to the Surface
NAC mosaic of Mt. Marilyn, a key navigation landmark during the Apollo 11 Moon landing, scene is 30 km wide.
Published on 04 Jan 2016
Looking Over The Limb
The Earth straddling the limb of the Moon, as seen from above Compton crater. The large tan area in the upper right is the Sahara desert, and just beyond is Saudia Arabia. The Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America are visible to...
Published on 18 Dec 2015
Found! Apollo 16 S-IVB Impact Crater
Newly discovered Apollo 16 S-IVB stage impact crater, image is 400 m wide, north is up (M183689432L)
Published on 02 Dec 2015
New Evidence For Young Lunar Volcanism!
One of many newly-discovered young volcanic deposits on the Moon (4.330°N, 33.750°E), this example is near the crater Maskelyne. The direction of sunlight is from the right and north is up, NAC M1123370138R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...
Published on 12 Oct 2014
The Chang'e 3 Landing Site in 3D
Slope map overlain on an LROC NAC image of the Chang'e 3 landing site at 44.12°N, 340.49°E in Mare Imbrium. The Chinese spacecraft landed just to the east of the large crater near the center. Slopes range from zero (blue) to...
Published on 07 Oct 2014
Secondary Scatter
A stream of secondary craters dots the rim of Haret C crater in this LROC NAC mosaic (M1163608929). This scene is illuminated from the north (top of image). Image width is approximately 2 km [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
Published on 04 Sep 2014
Small Step or Giant Leap?
A house-sized boulder (more than 30 m in diameter) left a clear impression (arrow) in the lunar surface. This boulder was thrown a relatively short distance (500 m) to the east of a young 1.6-km crater (rim crest to the left); LROC NAC...
Published on 21 Jul 2014
A Rille to Rover Over
LROC NAC image M1145219838 of a rille found on the Southwestern edge of Oceanus Procellarum. This rille most likely formed from the stress added to the crust as the mare deposits were emplaced and cooled [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...
Published on 08 Jul 2014
Five Years Later: Revisiting an Old Friend
A portion of LROC's first image (M101013931), acquired five years ago today. This region of the rim of Shackleton crater near the lunar South Pole is illuminated over 70% of the time, while the floor of the crater is permanently...
Published on 03 Jul 2014
The Original Interplanetary Mountaineers
Traverse plots of the first two Apollo 15 EVAs, on which astronauts Scott and Irwin ventured to the lower slopes of Mons Hadley Delta (center left); numbers indicate elevations above the landing site (LM) (oblique LROC NAC M1123519889;...
Published on 20 Jun 2014