                        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.

                               2024 January 17

                       America and the Sea of Serenity
     Image Credit & Copyright: 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. 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. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon
   and back again on the Artemis II mission, scheduled for launch no
   earlier than September 2025.

               Tomorrow's picture: geomagnetic stormy weather
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Ryan Smallcomb Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

