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.

                               2020 December 5

                     Mons Rumker in the Ocean of Storms
                Image Credit & Copyright: Jean-Yves Letellier

   Explanation: Mons Rumker, a 70 kilometer wide complex of volcanic
   domes, rises some 1100 meters above the vast, smooth lunar mare known
   as Oceanus Procellarum, the Ocean of Storms. Daylight came to the area
   late last month. The lunar terminator, the shadow line between night
   and day, runs diagonally across the left side in this telescopic
   close-up of a waxing gibbous Moon from November 27. China's Chang'e-5
   mission landing site is also in the frame. The probe's lander-ascender
   combination touch down on the lunar surface within a region right of
   center and north of Mons Rumker's domes on December 1. On December 3
   the ascender left the Ocean of Storms carrying 2 kilograms of lunar
   material for return to planet Earth.

              Tomorrow's picture: close-up of a stellar nursery
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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