LRO Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission.

[clint_dreamer]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Here's Opportunity at Victoria crater (can you locate the rover)

OK I give up. Where is rover in the photo?

I apologize for being off topic but I haven't see that beautiful photo before.

 

[nimbus]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Looks like it might be just on the "north" rim of the larger shallow slope on the west side of the crater. There's what looks like tracks coming from the North-West end of the frame, too.

 

[bobble_bob]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Any chance Nasa will release the Apollo 11 images on the 40th Anniversary of the landing?

 

[aphh]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

OK I give up. Where is rover in the photo?

I apologize for being off topic but I haven't see that beautiful photo before.

Opportunity is at about 10 o'clock near north edge of a crater bay .

It's only a bluish dot and the tiny shadow of the camera mast really only makes it distinguishable. Also very faint tracks are visible as mentioned by Nimbus.

Unfortunately LRO won't be able to resolve much more detail, but atleast the images will have more contrast and the shadows will be most likely longer.

 

[aphh]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Any chance Nasa will release the Apollo 11 images on the 40th Anniversary of the landing?

Well, the first images of the landing sites are out and they are pretty much as expected. This is what many people have been waiting for, the landers have never been seen directly before, only their shadows.

Interestingly, in the image of Apollo 11 landing site you can see the crater that Neil had to fly over before attempting to land. Also note how close to a crater edge Apollo 16 landed.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/m ... sites.html

When the orbit of LRO has reached the intended altitude for science operation, there may be enhanced dimages, but atleast these images clearly show most of the landers for human missions resting on the surface of the moon.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

LRO Images of Apollo Landing Sites!!!!!!

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/m ... sites.html

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

LRO Images of Apollo Landing Sites!!!!!!

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/m ... sites.html

Thanks Wayne, that explains why the LROC site has not been working, no doubt being swamped by others.

I have downloaded all images linked by yourself & I will work on them & repost them on here.

They're fantastic. :mrgreen:

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Glad you're tuned in. I would have posted some images, but since yours will be so much better, I wanted to wait till you had a go at it. Look forward to the results!!!

Wayne, your appreciative audience.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Glad you're tuned in. I would have posted some images, but since yours will be so much better, I wanted to wait till you had a go at it. Look forward to the results!!!

Wayne, your appreciative audience.

Here's your first instalment Wayne. :mrgreen:

Apollo 15 site. An area approx 300 metres wide cropped out, enlarged by 300%, sharpened & labled by me.

I will be doing ALL of the others but it will take time to do them all.

I have had a go at Apollo 15 first as I do have a certain soft spot for this one in particular, not only a fantastic landing site, but also I have personally met CM pilot Al Worden who remained in the CM Endeavour in lunar orbit & the now Late Jim Irwin.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

I have done this one on the Apollo 17 LRO LROC NAC image (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, Narrow Angle) & annotated it myself. Area approx 250 metres across, cropped out, enlarged 300%, sharpened & labled by me.

Edited, Got confused with CM America. LM was Challenger. Did a new image & replaced incorrect one.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Apollo 11, LM Eagle in the late lunar afternoon Sun, my effort. Crop is about 220 metres wide.

Edited, replaced image with a better one that I have just done of the Apollo 11 Eagle lander from LRO. The first one was too dark.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

A 704 metre wide crop of an area close to & to the south of the Apollo 17 site. A region of large boulders are apparent. IIRC Gene Cernan & Harrison Schmidt did not visit these. Just thought it was an interesting feature.

Andrew Brown.

 

[robotical]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

I've been waiting for Apollo landing site pictures from orbit for a long time. A fitting way to celebrate the 40th anniversary!

 

[job1207]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Most cool. Of course, the pictures to come will be more cool.

Of note, I recognize that BIG crater next to Apollo 11. That was the one that Neil Armstrong avoided by taking control of the lander. Watch the descent ( NY Times site ). At the last second, the lander is abruptly moved UP for a bit, in order to avoid disaster.

Good job Neil, and LROC.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Most cool. Of course, the pictures to come will be more cool.

Of note, I recognize that BIG crater next to Apollo 11. That was the one that Neil Armstrong avoided by taking control of the lander. Watch the descent ( NY Times site ). At the last second, the lander is abruptly moved UP for a bit, in order to avoid disaster.

Good job Neil, and LROC.

Hi job1207,

Yes hat is indded the boulder filled crater Neil had to miss. In the LRO images due to the low late lunar afternoon sun, the crater is mostly filled with shadow. When LRO reaches the final science orbit, then the images will be sharper by approx 40%. It is certainly great to see the Apollo hardware & tracks again, but for me the rel draw of the mission is the fact we will get to see many different areas of the Moon, both near & far side in unprecedented detail.

Imaging of the Apollo artifacts os certainly a very interesting secondary activity of LRO. I am sure the Surveyor landers & the Lunokhods will also be imaged, but really all that is secondary to LRO's main mission.

Hi all, Finally done Apollos 14 & 16.

Apollo 14 LM Antares, with tracks & ALSEP, left behind by Edgar Mitchell & Alan Shepard. Landing struts on LM Antares are visible & there is a hint of the antenna. Scene approx 400 metres across. Late lunar afternoon Sun.

Apollo 16 one was the most difficult one to do, due to the nature of the highland terrain in the Descartes area.

The LM Orion was easy enough to see & it is possible to see the landing struts. There are hints of tracks, left by John Young & Charlie Duke with the LRV, though very faint, leading off to the lower left & I could not make out ALSEP or the LRV, though there are two positive relief features to the left close by. Could be them, but are difficult to see in all of that detail of tiny craters, etc in the late lunar afternoon Sun.

There is a dark spot to the upper right of Orion, with a hint of a track to it & past it. Is that the seismic experiment with the pyrotechnics carried out by John Young???????? Or is that too close to LM Orion?

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Another LRO LROC NAC image strip released today & I have made some enlarged crops of the interesting bits.

Northern Mare Frigoris boundary with highland terrain. Latitude 62.66 North. Longitude 20.73 West. 1.85 metres resolution.

Base of highlands with northern Mare Frigoris. Small impact crater with boulders on the boundary. Area shown is 1,106 metres across.

Base of highlands with northern Mare Frigoris. About 2 KM NW of above image. Area shown is 1,109 metres across.

Northern Mare Frigoris, oldish crater approx 700 metres across. Area shown is 1,110 metres across.

Sample area of northern Mare Frigoris. Area shown is 1,110 metres across.

Northern Mare Frigoris, young crater approx 450 metres across with boulders. Area shown is 1,115 metres across.

Northern Mare Frigoris, another young crater approx 450 metres across with boulders. Area shown is 1,110 metres across.

Northern Mare Frigoris, Low rise, almost looks like a lava flow feature. Area shown is 1,110 metres across.

Highland terrain just north of Mare Frigoris, virtually no craters, very smooth. Area shown is 1,110 metres across.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Another LRO LROC NAC image strip released today & a three enlarged crops by me of eastern Terraced Wall of Bürg Crater.

Latitude 44.94 North. Longitude 28.64 East. Resolution 1.62 metres.

970 metre wide section of landsides with boulders & rubble collected in the hollows on one terrace.

975 metre wide area with rolled boulders & their tracks.

977 metre wide area with tiny crater just left of centre with a boulder right in the centre (looks a little like the lander portion of MER B Opportunity in the middle of Eagle Crater on Mars on MRO HiRISE imagery).

Can I ask how my images look to other readers? :?: I saw them earlier on another computer & they looked very dark, but on mine, they look fine. :? :?

Andrew Brown.

 

[brandbll]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Andrew

The pictures look great. The last picture has a dark area but i assume that is just a shadowy area and beyond your control. Thanks for posting them!

Brandon

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Andrew

The pictures look great. The last picture has a dark area but i assume that is just a shadowy area and beyond your control. Thanks for posting them!

Brandon

Hi Brandon, you are very welcome & thank you very much for your feedback.

I enjoy doing them & it is a privilidge to share them. That dark area is a shadowed area behind hills. The Sun was low down, almost setting from this location at the time.

Bürg Crater, located within Lacus Mortis (Lake of Death), was close to the Sunset terminator at the time.

There have not been any further updates since then, but as soon as there are & I am able, I will post fresh images. I am really enjoying this mission immensly. :mrgreen:

LRO hopefully has been obtaining observations of the Far Side last week & the week before. LRO has last week been passing over the South Pole Aitken Basin & Mare Orientale.

Today or yesterday over farside Tsiolkovsky Crater There should be some very interesting updates due.

So please stay tuned.

Andrew Brown.

 

[radarredux]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

I love these images. I remember falling in love with the MRO images and then anticipating the LRO images ever since -- especially since we have a greater opportunity to actually visit many of the more interesting sites with people, landers, or rovers. I hope that LRO+Google Earth and the Google Lunar Challenge will help increase interest in additional lunar exploration (by man or machine).

 

[CalliArcale]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Those are awesome images, Andrew, and you've done a fantastic job with them. Reminds me a bit of 433 Eros, despite the much greater gravity of the Moon. The same kind of sloughing-off of terrain. I suppose it's because the erosive processes are actually quite similar between the two bodies, though Eros has less gravity to squash things down and collapse cliffs and such.

Can I ask how my images look to other readers? :?: I saw them earlier on another computer & they looked very dark, but on mine, they look fine. :? :?;

They look great on my left screen (LCD) but kinda dark on my right screen (CRT which has seen better days), so it may be the fault of the monitor settings, or gamma correction on a particular computer.

 

[nimbus]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Andrew, the pics themselves look fine. The only problem I've seen is that the forum seems to limit their width to 740 pixels and doesn't resize those that exceed this size, so that they appear cropped beyond 740 pixels from the left end.

Excellent pics and info as always though. I save everything with what comments fit inside the comment space in the .jpg format.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Thank you very much radarredux, Calli & nimbus.

All of your responses are most useful. It does seem it is not me, but the equipment used to view them. I printed one off, & it looked perfect so my work appears spot on, it does seem though that the quality varies considerably when viewing on different computers.

So I'll just continue with how I have been doing them as it is not me, judging by the responses.

I agree Calli, small portions of the Moon do indeed look like 433 Eros & also 243 Ida, with the boulders, outcrops etc. In fact with some of these crops, it is quite difficult to tell that we are looking at the Moon, not an asteroid in close up. Iexpect that many of the same processes are occuring, but as you say, the Moon's surface gravity is gigantic as compared to that of 433 Eros or 243 Ida. :shock:

Hi Nimbus, thank you very much too. That's very interesting regarding the cut off at 740 pixels. I have never seen that on any computer that I have viewed any images on SDC on either my own or any others. Usually they can be scrolled from side to side if too wide for the monitor, with the comments & my avatar positioned underneath on the right hand side.

I assume that what you see is a kind of cut off margin on the right hand side? Where does my avatar & commentary appear? Are they within that margin or still appear underneath?

If possible could you do a screen dump & email it to me or post it on this tread please? I would be interested to see it.

A wonderful update today.

The ejecta blanket immediately to the east of lunar farside crater Tsiolkovskiy, image strip centered on 22 South, 130 East. I have created some crops as usual.

I was hoping that this feature would get some attention during the 'Walk In' phase of the mission. Also these are the sharpest images to date as returned from LRO. 83 Centimetres resolution. That's incredible. :shock:

Below an 830 metre wide region showing some large boulders close to far side Tsiolkovskiy Crater. This image is a blown up NASA one, not one of my efforts.

The below are my efforts.

497 metre wide region close to far side Tsiolkovskiy Crater. If you look closely just to the left of centre, rolled boulders with tracks can just be made out. These boulders are pretty small, only a couple of metres across perhaps.

498 metre wide region close to far side Tsiolkovskiy Crater. More boulders in the hollows are visible.

499 metre wide region close to far side Tsiolkovskiy Crater.

499 metre wide region close to far side Tsiolkovskiy Crater.

500 metre wide region close to far side Tsiolkovskiy Crater.

Andrew Brown.

 

[brandbll]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Andrew-

Do you know are they planning on photographing the impact site of the last impact probe that was crashed into the Moon?

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Andrew-

Do you know are they planning on photographing the impact site of the last impact probe that was crashed into the Moon?

Hi Brandon,

These graphics reveal landing & crash sites of lunar spacecraft, both manned & unmanned.

It's very interesting. I did think that Lunar Orbiters 1 & 2 crashed on the lunar farside, but these show them as come down over the near side.

Andrew Brown.