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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter delivers stunningly detailed image of the nearside of the Moon

23. 02. 11

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has delivered one of the largest and highest resolution images ever compiled of the nearside of the Moon. For two weeks in mid-December 2010, LRO’s orbit allowed the spacecraft to remain looking straight down. This allowed the Orbiter to gather more than 1,300 images during this time, and the subsequent imaging run allowed the team to compile a huge 24,000 x 24,000 pixel mosaic from the Wide Angle Camera (WAC), with a resolution of approximately 145 meters per pixel.

You can go the LROC website and see a 1400 X 1400 version, another 1400 X 1400 version with labels, and the full version that you can "Zoomify"; and see incredible detail like never before.

This news item first appeared on Universe Today


Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter Wide Angle Camera mosaic of the lunar nearside (Credits: NASA, GSFC, Arizona State University)

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