October 9, 2009

Nasa’s LCROSS moon impact in pictures

The latest pictures from Nasa's LCROSS mission to the moon. The impact is expected to help in the search for lunar water

LCROSS : the Moon's south pole with the LCROSS impact site near the center — Picture of the moon centering Nasa's intended impact site for LCROSS. The dark ring is the 25-arcsec field lens holder for the Altair adaptive optics system. Observers will be able to use any bright feature within this ring as a pseudo-star to guide the telescope to the impact plume. It will also help correct the image for atmospheric distortion. Photograph: C.E. Woodward, K. Roth, A. Stephens and the LCROSS Impact Team/Gemini Observatory/AURA

LCROSS : image of the LCROSS spacecraft after centaur separation — STK's image of LCROSS after Centaur separated at 10:50am. After separation, LCROSS turned 180 degrees to point its science equipment towards the receding Centaur. Photograph: Nasa

LCROSS : People watch a big screen at the Newseum in Washington — An audience watches the day's events on a big screen at the Newseum in Washington Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

LCROSS : A closer view of the moon as the LCROSS spacecraft approaches impac — First view of the moon through a camera onboard LCROSS Photograph: Nasa

LCROSS : A closer view of the moon as the LCROSS spacecraft approaches impac — A closer view from the LCROSS craft Photograph: Nasa

LCROSS : A closer view of the moon as the LCROSS spacecraft approaches impact — Moments before Centaur's impact Photograph: Nasa

LCROSS : NASA's LCROSS Lunar impact — Space enthusiast gather to watch the impact at Ames Research Centre at Moffett Field in California Photograph: PETER DASILVA/EPA

LCROSS : NASA's LCROSS Lunar impact — Carol Carroll, a Nasa Ames employee, and her son David with Lawrence Nguyen join other space enthusiast to watch the impact Photograph: Peter Dasilva/EPA

Leave a Comment Cancel comment