Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos

In summary, The conversation is about the new photos from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which show amazing detail of the Apollo landing sites. These photos are like a letter from an old friend for some people who remember watching the coverage of these events as children. The preliminary batch of photos has been released, with more expected to come in the coming days with even greater resolution. The conversation also touches on Mars landers and the direction of the Apollo 11 landing. Additional information can be found on NASA's website.
  • #1
diogenesNY
229
240
Hey y'all--

Many/most of you may already be aware of and have seen these, but worth checking out are the new photos from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter... particularly of the Apollo landing sites. Amazing detail and really beautiful photos. You can make out details of left behind equipment, lunar module landing stages and even the Apollo 14 astronaut's footpath. I remember watching much of the coverage of these events as a very young child, and in a strange sort of way, seeing these photos is sort of like a letter from an old friend. :)

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html

These are just the preliminary batch. More photos with considerably ( ~3x ) greater resolution are expected to be posted in the coming days. I really look forward having a look at them.

diogenesNY
 
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Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
diogenesNY said:
Hey y'all--

Many/most of you may already be aware of and have seen these, but worth checking out are the new photos from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter... particularly of the Apollo landing sites. Amazing detail and really beautiful photos. You can make out details of left behind equipment, lunar module landing stages and even the Apollo 14 astronaut's footpath. I remember watching much of the coverage of these events as a very young child, and in a strange sort of way, seeing these photos is sort of like a letter from an old friend. :)

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html

These are just the preliminary batch. More photos with considerably ( ~3x ) greater resolution are expected to be posted in the coming days. I really look forward having a look at them.

diogenesNY

Amazing photos aren't they? Equally astounding are the shots of the different Mars landers from one of the Mars orbiters. A poignant reminder of past achievements we're too fatigued to repeat seemingly.
 
  • #3
Amazing pictures. Is the bolder field that Armstrong (on Apollo 11) spoke of just before landing be in that picture? What direction did they come from to land?
 
  • #4
vibjwb said:
Amazing pictures. Is the bolder field that Armstrong (on Apollo 11) spoke of just before landing be in that picture? What direction did they come from to land?

I wondered the same thing. Would have to look through the landing data to figure it out. I think a lot of that sort of detailed material is available from NASA though not necessarily in a readily searchable form.
 
  • #5
Better look at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/revisited/index.html"
You'll also find additional information, e.g. concerning that boulder field.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Related to Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos

What is the purpose of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos?

The purpose of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos is to capture high-resolution images of the moon's surface and collect data about its topography, temperature, and mineral composition. This information can help scientists better understand the moon's formation and evolution.

How does the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter take photos of the moon?

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter uses a camera called the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) to take photos of the moon. The LROC has two cameras, a narrow-angle camera for high-resolution images and a wide-angle camera for lower-resolution images. The orbiter also has instruments that measure the moon's temperature and other properties.

What have we learned from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos?

Thanks to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos, we have learned a lot about the moon's surface. We have discovered new impact craters, analyzed the moon's topography, and mapped the distribution of water ice in the polar regions. The photos have also helped us identify potential landing sites for future missions to the moon.

How often are new photos taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter?

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter takes new photos of the moon every 28 days, which is the length of one lunar day. However, the orbiter can also take targeted images based on specific scientific objectives or for special events, such as a lunar eclipse.

Can anyone access the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos?

Yes, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos are available to the public through the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera website. The photos are also used by scientists and researchers for various studies and research projects related to the moon. The data and images are freely available for anyone to use and download.

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