|
Prelude to Apollo - Ranger 8
16.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Today is the 39th anniversary of the launch of the Ranger 8 spacecraft. The Ranger series was designed to obtain the first high resolution images of the lunar surface to help plan for Surveyor and Apollo landings.
The Image that Launched LPOD!
15.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Lunar Picture of the Day (LPOD) was conceived in response to this photo appearing as APOD - Astronomy Picture of the Day - on December 12, 2003. There the image was shown dramatically as a negative - with white and black reversed. Here its as photographer Frank Barrett saw it in the sky on December 8, 2003.
Volcanic Rump
14.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
We think of the Apollo missions as being near equatorial - and the landing sites were - but the sinusoidal orbit of the Command Modules took them as much as 25 degrees from the equator.
Happy Valentine Dome Day
13.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Here is a lunar Valentine Day's card courtesy of KC Pau. Valentine's Day, named for a martyred Roman saint (who sent his jailer's daughter a note signed, "From your Valentine") is associated with hearts.
Copernicus in Color
12.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Robotic spacecraft have made two major contributions to lunar imaging. From the mid-1960s thru the early 1970s, high resolution images were obtained by Lunar Orbiter and Apollo spacecraft - this is still the highest resolution coverage available for the Moon. During the 1990s, global multi-spectral coverage was acquired by Galileo, Clementine and Lunar Prospector.
Happy Birthday, Darwin!
11.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Charles Darwin, who ranks with Newton and Einstein as one of the world's greatest scientists, was born on this date 195 years ago at Shrewsbury, England. Unlike Darwin's ideas, which remain robust, the lunar crater Darwin has seen better days.
I Drew a Lunar Map So I Get to Add Names!
10.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Somewhere, a decade or so ago, I picked up a single page from an old Pacific Discovery magazine that contained this map. Its obviously a hand drawn one, with a lot of effort spent depicting hundreds of craters with many slightly jiggly lines representing the maria.
Lunar Pyroclastic Deposits
9.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Lunar volcanism is best represented by the massive lava flow piles - or maria - filling impact basins. But the Moon also had other styles of volcanic activity including explosive or pyroclastic eruptions. Pyroclastic is the two dollar (2 Euro?) word for fragmental rocks thrown out of erupting volcanoes.
Seeing Double: Pythagoras
8.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
From Galileo in 1610 through the early 20th century, the only way to depict the lunar surface was by peering through a telescope and drawing what was seen. Lunar drawings were affected by each observer's telescope and eyepieces, seeing, visual acuity and artistic abilities.
Crazy Quilt Imbrium
7.02.2004 | Lunnoe foto dnya
Are you lost looking at this image? Its our Moon, but as seen through very odd spectral glasses. To help get your bearings I've labeled some craters: A = Aristarchus, C = Copernicus, H = Harpalus, P = Plato; you can figure out the rest!