                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2022 December 10

                       America and the Sea of Serenity
         Gene Cernan, Apollo 17, NASA; Anaglyph by Patrick Vantuyne

   Explanation: Get out your red/blue glasses and check out this stereo
   view of another world. Fifty years ago the scene was recorded by Apollo
   17 mission commander Eugene Cernan on December 11, 1972, one orbit
   before descending to land on the Moon. The stereo anaglyph was
   assembled from two photographs (AS17-147-22465, AS17-147-22466)
   captured from his vantage point on board the Lunar Module Challenger as
   he and Dr. Harrison Schmitt flew over Apollo 17's landing site in the
   Taurus-Littrow Valley. The broad, sunlit face of the mountain dubbed
   South Massif rises near the center of the frame, above the dark floor
   of Taurus-Littrow to its left. Piloted by Ron Evans, the Command Module
   America is visible in orbit in the foreground against the South
   Massif's peak. Beyond the mountains, toward the lunar limb, lies the
   Moon's Mare Serenitatis.

                           Tomorrow's picture: Io
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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