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.

                              2019 December 19

                            Apollo 17's Moonship
     Image Credit: Apollo 17, NASA, (Image Reprocessing: Andy Saunders)

   Explanation: Awkward and angular looking, Apollo 17's lunar module
   Challenger was designed for flight in the near vacuum of space.
   Digitally enhanced and reprocessed, this picture taken from Apollo 17's
   command module America shows Challenger's ascent stage in lunar orbit.
   Small reaction control thrusters are at the sides of the moonship with
   the bell of the ascent rocket engine underneath. The hatch allowing
   access to the lunar surface is seen at the front, with a round radar
   antenna at the top. Mission commander Gene Cernan is clearly visible
   through the triangular window. This spaceship performed gracefully,
   landing on the Moon and returning the Apollo astronauts to the orbiting
   command module in December of 1972. So where is Challenger now? Its
   descent stage remains at the Apollo 17 landing site in the
   Taurus-Littrow valley. The ascent stage pictured was intentionally
   crashed nearby after being jettisoned from the command module prior to
   the astronauts' return to planet Earth. Apollo 17's mission came to an
   end 47 years ago today. It was the sixth and last time astronauts
   landed on the Moon.

                     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
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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