                        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.

                               2023 December 7

                        Orion and the Ocean of Storms
                        Image Credit: NASA, Artemis 1

   Explanation: On December 5, 2022, a camera on board the uncrewed Orion
   spacecraft captured this view as Orion approached its return powered
   flyby of the Moon. Beyond one of Orion's extended solar arrays lies
   dark, smooth, terrain along the western edge of the Oceanus
   Procellarum. Prominent on the lunar nearside Oceanus Procellarum, the
   Ocean of Storms, is the largest of the Moon's lava-flooded maria. The
   lunar terminator, shadow line between lunar night and day, runs along
   the left of this frame. The 41 kilometer diameter crater Marius is top
   center, with ray crater Kepler peeking in at the edge, just right of
   the solar array wing. Kepler's bright rays extend to the north and
   west, reaching the dark-floored Marius. On December 11, 2022 the Orion
   spacecraft reached its home world. The historic Artemis 1 mission ended
   with Orion's successful splashdown in planet Earth's water-flooded
   Pacific Ocean.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

