Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the recent photos released by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, particularly focusing on the Apollo landing sites. Participants express their admiration for the detail in the images and share personal reflections on the significance of these photos. The conversation also touches on the potential for future releases of higher resolution images and the historical context of lunar exploration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants highlight the beauty and detail of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photos, noting the visibility of equipment and astronaut footpaths left from the Apollo missions.
  • One participant expresses nostalgia, comparing the photos to a "letter from an old friend," reflecting on their childhood memories of the Apollo missions.
  • Another participant draws a parallel between the lunar photos and images of Mars landers, suggesting a sense of loss regarding the current state of space exploration.
  • Questions are raised about the identification of specific features in the photos, such as the boulder field mentioned by Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 landing, and the need to reference landing data for clarification.
  • Participants mention that detailed landing data is available from NASA, although it may not be easily searchable.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the impressive nature of the photos and their emotional impact. However, there is no consensus on specific details regarding the boulder field or the direction of the landing, indicating ongoing questions and uncertainties.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations include the availability of detailed landing data and the challenge of accessing it in a user-friendly format. The discussion does not resolve the specifics of the boulder field's location or the landing approach.

diogenesNY
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Hey y'all--

Many/most of you may already be aware of and have seen these, but worth checking out are the new photos from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter... particularly of the Apollo landing sites. Amazing detail and really beautiful photos. You can make out details of left behind equipment, lunar module landing stages and even the Apollo 14 astronaut's footpath. I remember watching much of the coverage of these events as a very young child, and in a strange sort of way, seeing these photos is sort of like a letter from an old friend. :)

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html

These are just the preliminary batch. More photos with considerably ( ~3x ) greater resolution are expected to be posted in the coming days. I really look forward having a look at them.

diogenesNY
 
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diogenesNY said:
Hey y'all--

Many/most of you may already be aware of and have seen these, but worth checking out are the new photos from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter... particularly of the Apollo landing sites. Amazing detail and really beautiful photos. You can make out details of left behind equipment, lunar module landing stages and even the Apollo 14 astronaut's footpath. I remember watching much of the coverage of these events as a very young child, and in a strange sort of way, seeing these photos is sort of like a letter from an old friend. :)

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html

These are just the preliminary batch. More photos with considerably ( ~3x ) greater resolution are expected to be posted in the coming days. I really look forward having a look at them.

diogenesNY

Amazing photos aren't they? Equally astounding are the shots of the different Mars landers from one of the Mars orbiters. A poignant reminder of past achievements we're too fatigued to repeat seemingly.
 
Amazing pictures. Is the bolder field that Armstrong (on Apollo 11) spoke of just before landing be in that picture? What direction did they come from to land?
 
vibjwb said:
Amazing pictures. Is the bolder field that Armstrong (on Apollo 11) spoke of just before landing be in that picture? What direction did they come from to land?

I wondered the same thing. Would have to look through the landing data to figure it out. I think a lot of that sort of detailed material is available from NASA though not necessarily in a readily searchable form.
 
Better look at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/revisited/index.html"
You'll also find additional information, e.g. concerning that boulder field.
 
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