Inset with markings, Restoration from original
data by the Lunar Orbiter Image Restoration Project
NASA-Lunar Orbiter IV, May 1967
data by the Lunar Orbiter Image Restoration Project
NASA-Lunar Orbiter IV, May 1967
For the third time in one week Moonviews, the Lunar Orbiter Image Restoration Project (LOIRP) has released another spectacular total restoration taken from multiple passes over magnetic tape retaining data downloaded directly during the U.S. Lunar Orbiter series (1966-1968).
"This image was taken by Lunar Orbiter IV in May 1967 and shows the south pole of the Moon," reported Keith Cowling, over the weekend.
Between 1967 and NASA/DOD Clementine mission in 1994 this huge photograph represented the height of our knowledge of the lunar South Pole. Japan's recently ended Kaguya orbiter took man's first glance into the permanently dark and deep Shackleton crater that hugs the Moon's axis, just last summer.
NASA's 3M mapper, on board India's Chandrayaan-1, has been busy also, putting narrow swaths of imagery revealing more of the Moon's admittedly very cold lunar craters.
"Adjacent to the south pole is Shoemaker crater named in honor of famed planetary geologist Eugene Shoemaker," writes Cowling. "The Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will be targeted to impact at the south pole of the moon. As such, the moon's polar regions are of great interest right now."
Almost too modest, if you ask me. The restorations underway at LOIRP in Colorado have given new life to an old mission, pulling sub-meter-sized relief from many images, showing boulders and craterlets that went undetected after their original release, in anticipation of Apollo.
For details on seeing the worthwhile full-sized images from LOIRP, visit HERE.
"This image was taken by Lunar Orbiter IV in May 1967 and shows the south pole of the Moon," reported Keith Cowling, over the weekend.
Between 1967 and NASA/DOD Clementine mission in 1994 this huge photograph represented the height of our knowledge of the lunar South Pole. Japan's recently ended Kaguya orbiter took man's first glance into the permanently dark and deep Shackleton crater that hugs the Moon's axis, just last summer.
NASA's 3M mapper, on board India's Chandrayaan-1, has been busy also, putting narrow swaths of imagery revealing more of the Moon's admittedly very cold lunar craters.
"Adjacent to the south pole is Shoemaker crater named in honor of famed planetary geologist Eugene Shoemaker," writes Cowling. "The Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will be targeted to impact at the south pole of the moon. As such, the moon's polar regions are of great interest right now."
Almost too modest, if you ask me. The restorations underway at LOIRP in Colorado have given new life to an old mission, pulling sub-meter-sized relief from many images, showing boulders and craterlets that went undetected after their original release, in anticipation of Apollo.
For details on seeing the worthwhile full-sized images from LOIRP, visit HERE.
2 comments:
You said: Japan's recently ended Kaguya orbiter took man's first peak into the permanently dark and deep Shackleton crater that hugs the Moon's axis, just last summer.
I say: Man has had MANY "peaks", but I think you meant "peek", didn't you?
Indeed. The Secretary has the weak off. (LOL).
Seriously, I could use a secretary. All our interns are victims of the prevailing Prussian compulsory school system, and, like me, learned to "sight see" instead of spell.
(Sad, really.)
Thanks for the correction.
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