http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/moon/ Moon News. Current science articles on the Moon. Read about the new lunar mission being planned, how the "Man In The Moon" was created, moon landing facts and more. Images. en-us Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/moon/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201182149.htm A camera aboard one of NASA's twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) lunar spacecraft has returned its first unique view of the far side of the moon. MoonKAM, or Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students, will be used by students nationwide to select lunar images for study. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:21:21 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201182149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201142402.htm A potent follow-up solar flare, which occurred Jan. 17, 2012, just days after the Sun launched the biggest coronal mass ejection seen in nearly a decade, delivered a powerful radiation punch to Earth's magnetic field despite the fact that it was aimed away from our planet. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201142402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118201001.htm Twin NASA spacecraft that achieved orbit around the moon New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have new names, thanks to elementary students in Bozeman, Mont. Their winning entry, "Ebb and Flow," was selected as part of a nationwide school contest that began in October 2011. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118201001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115223636.htm The last mineral thought to have been unique to the Moon has been discovered in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115223636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113210608.htm New maps produced by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal features at the moon's northern and southern poles in regions that lie in perpetual darkness. LAMP uses a novel method to peer into these so-called permanently shadowed regions, making visible the invisible. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113210608.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120101224913.htm The second of NASA's two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft has successfully completed its planned main engine burn and is now in lunar orbit. Working together, GRAIL-A and GRAIL-B will study the moon as never before. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120101224913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111231200101.htm The first of two NASA spacecraft to study the moon in unprecedented detail has entered lunar orbit. Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111231200101.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207000851.htm Solar storms and associated Coronal Mass Ejections can significantly erode the lunar surface according to a new set of computer simulations by NASA scientists. In addition to removing a surprisingly large amount of material from the lunar surface, this could be a major method of atmospheric loss for planets like Mars that are unprotected by a global magnetic field. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207000851.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121192410.htm NASA successfully completed the final flight in a series of tests of a new robotic lander prototype at the Redstone Test Center's propulsion test facility on the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. Data from this test series will aid in the design and development of a new generation of small, smart, versatile robotic landers capable of performing science and exploration research on the surface of the moon or other airless bodies in the solar system, such as asteroids or the planet Mercury. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121192410.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110142102.htm Just as an expert chess player sacrifices a piece to protect the queen, the solar system may have given up a giant planet and spared the Earth, according to a new article. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:21:21 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110142102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109131821.htm The presence of magnetized rocks on the surface of the moon, which has no global magnetic field, has been a mystery since the days of the Apollo program. Now a team of scientists has proposed a novel mechanism that could have generated a magnetic field on the moon early in its history. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109131821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019161940.htm NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected signs of icy bodies raining down in an alien solar system. The downpour resembles our own solar system several billion years ago during a period known as the "Late Heavy Bombardment," which may have brought water and other life-forming ingredients to Earth. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019161940.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007122407.htm NASA's Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)-B spacecraft successfully executed its first flight path correction maneuver Wednesday, Oct. 5. The rocket burn helped refine the spacecraft's trajectory as it travels from Earth to the moon and provides separation between itself and its mirror twin, GRAIL-A. The first burn for GRAIL-A occurred on Sept. 30. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007122407.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007102109.htm A map of the Moon combining observations in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths shows a treasure trove of areas rich in Titanium ores. Not only is titanium a valuable element, it is key to helping scientists unravel the mysteries of the Moon's interior. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007102109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923102534.htm It currently takes 90 minutes to transmit high-resolution images from Mars, but NASA would like to dramatically reduce that time to just minutes. A new optical communications system that NASA plans to demonstrate in 2016 will lead the way and even allow the streaming of high-definition video from distances beyond the moon. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923102534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110910172803.htm NASA's twin lunar Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 9:08 a.m. EDT (6:08 a.m. PDT) Saturday, Sept. 10, to study the moon in unprecedented detail. GRAIL-A is scheduled to reach the moon on New Year's Eve 2011, while GRAIL-B will arrive New Year's Day 2012. The two solar-powered spacecraft will fly in tandem orbits around the moon to measure its gravity field. GRAIL will answer longstanding questions about the moon and give scientists a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed. Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110910172803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906135841.htm Researchers overseeing the imaging system on board NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter have released the sharpest images ever taken from space of the Apollo 12, 14 and 17 sites, more clearly showing the paths made when the astronauts explored these areas. Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906135841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110827191804.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured new views of Saturn's oddly shaped moon Hyperion during its encounter with a cratered body on Aug. 25. Raw images were acquired as the spacecraft flew past the moon at a distance of about 15,500 miles (25,000 kilometers), making this the second closest encounter. Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110827191804.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110827191646.htm NASA's Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to study the moon is in final launch preparations for a scheduled Sept. 8 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GRAIL's twin spacecraft are tasked for a nine-month mission to explore Earth's nearest neighbor in unprecedented detail. They will determine the structure of the lunar interior from crust to core and advance our understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon. Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110827191646.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825141625.htm Researchers got their first up-close look at dust from the surface of a small, stony asteroid after the Hayabusa spacecraft scooped some up and brought it back to Earth. Analysis of these dust particles confirms a long-standing suspicion: that the most common meteorites found here on Earth, known as ordinary chondrites, are born from these stony, or S-type, asteroids. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825141625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824133925.htm NASA's lunar-bound GRAIL twins were mated to their Delta II launch vehicle at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17 on Aug. 18, 2011. The 15-mile (25-kilometer) trip from Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., is the last move for GRAIL before it begins its journey to the moon. NASA's dynamic duo will orbit the moon to determine the structure of the lunar interior from crust to core and to advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon. Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824133925.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818093046.htm New research using a technique that measures the isotopes of lead and neodymium in lunar crustal rocks shows that the moon and Earth may be millions of years younger than originally thought. Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818093046.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110817135422.htm Analysis of a piece of lunar rock brought back to Earth by the Apollo 16 mission in 1972 has shown that the Moon may be much younger than previously believed. This is concluded in new research conducted by an international team of scientists that includes James Connelly from the Centre for Star and Planet Formation, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen. Their work has just been published in Nature. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110817135422.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110817135349.htm Earth's Moon could be younger than previously thought. The prevailing theory of our Moon's origin is that it was created by a giant impact between a large planet-like object and the proto-Earth. The Moon formed from melted material that was ejected into space. Analysis of lunar rock samples thought to have been derived from the original magma has given scientists a new estimate of the Moon's age. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110817135349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110812094339.htm NASA's twin lunar probes -- GRAIL-A and GRAIL-B -- completed their final inspections and were weighed one final time at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Fla., on Tuesday. The two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft will orbit the moon in formation to determine the structure of the lunar interior from crust to core and to advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon. GRAIL's launch period opens Sept. 8, 2011, and extends through Oct. 19. For a Sept. 8 liftoff, the launch window opens at 5:37 a.m. PDT (8:37 a.m. EDT) and remains open through 6:16 a.m. PDT (9:16 a.m. EDT). Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110812094339.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110803133519.htm The mountainous region on the far side of the moon, known as the lunar farside highlands, may be the solid remains of a collision with a smaller companion moon, according to a new study. Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110803133519.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725091730.htm Analysis of new images of a curious "hot spot" on the far side of the Moon reveal it to be a small volcanic province created by the upwelling of silicic magma. The unusual location of the province and of the surprising composition of the lava that formed it offer tantalizing clues to the Moon's thermal history. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725091730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720090505.htm Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope discovered a fourth moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. The tiny, new satellite -- temporarily designated P4 -- was uncovered in a Hubble survey searching for rings around the dwarf planet. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:05:05 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720090505.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713161826.htm Almost 2 years ago, two of five THEMIS satellites were boosted from their orbits around Earth toward the moon. The first transitioned into a lunar orbit on June 27, while the second is destined to arrive on Sunday, July 17, to begin mapping the moon's surface magnetic fields and magnetic environment in 3-D. The probes, renamed the ARTEMIS mission, will also look for evidence of plasmoids produced by magnetic reconnection in Earth's magnetotail. Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713161826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110629091642.htm The first of two ARTEMIS ("Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun") spacecraft is now in its lunar orbit. Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110629091642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622133204.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft has successfully completed its second-closest encounter with Saturn's icy moon Helene, beaming down raw images of the small moon. At closest approach, on June 18, Cassini flew within 4,330 miles (6,968 kilometers) of Helene's surface. It was the second closest approach to Helene of the entire mission. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622133204.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110526141400.htm The moon has much more water than previously thought, a scientific team has discovered. First-time measurements of lunar melt inclusions show that some parts of the lunar mantle have as much water as the Earth's upper mantle. The results may change the prevailing theory about the Moon's origin as well as shed new light on the origin of water at the lunar poles. Results appear in Science Express. Thu, 26 May 2011 14:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110526141400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110513204421.htm Researchers have put together the first comprehensive set of maps revealing the slopes and roughness of the moon's surface. These maps are based on detailed data collected by the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Fri, 13 May 2011 20:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110513204421.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510110229.htm To determine how best to explore asteroids in the future, NASA scientists and engineers are taking their experiments underwater in the 15th expedition of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, or NEEMO. Tue, 10 May 2011 11:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510110229.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110316084103.htm NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) team released March 15, 2011 the final set of data from the mission's exploration phase along with the first measurements from its new life as a science satellite. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110316084103.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110313125946.htm Because the moon is tidally locked (meaning the same side always faces Earth), it was not until 1959 that the farside was first imaged by the Soviet Luna 3 spacecraft. And what a surprise --­ unlike the widespread maria on the nearside, basaltic volcanism was restricted to a relatively few, smaller regions on the farside, and the battered highlands crust dominated. The cause of the farside/nearside asymmetry is an interesting scientific question. Past studies have shown that the crust on the farside is thicker, likely making it more difficult for magmas to erupt on the surface, limiting the amount of farside mare basalts. Why is the farside crust thicker? Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110313125946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110306151336.htm Engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have begun the first phase of integrated system tests on a new robotic lander prototype at Redstone Test Center's propulsion test facility on the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal, also in Huntsville. These tests will aid in the design and development of a new generation of small, smart, versatile robotic landers capable of performing science and exploration research on the surface of the moon or other airless bodies, including near-Earth asteroids. Sun, 06 Mar 2011 15:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110306151336.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110221081231.htm Bring a filter if you plan on drinking water from the moon. Water ice recently discovered in dust at the bottom of a crater near the moon's south pole is accompanied by metallic elements like mercury, magnesium, calcium, and even a bit of silver. Now you can add sodium to the mix, according to scientists. Mon, 21 Feb 2011 08:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110221081231.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110209171139.htm In communities all across the US, travelers that went to the moon and back with the Apollo 14 mission are living out their quiet lives. The voyagers in question are not astronauts. They're "moon trees." Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110209171139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110126172209.htm NASA engineers successfully integrated and completed system testing on a new robotic lander recently. The lander prototype will aid NASA's development of a new generation of small, smart, versatile landers for airless bodies such as the moon and asteroids. The lander's design is based on cutting-edge technology, which allows precision landing in high-risk, but high-priority areas, enabling NASA to achieve scientific and exploration goals in previously unexplored locations. Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110126172209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111133019.htm The same researcher who first discovered water on the moon, has now determined the lunar water may have originated from comets smashing into the moon soon after it formed. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111133019.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111081105.htm NASA's Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project has completed a series of hot fire tests and taken delivery of a new propulsion system for integration into a more sophisticated free-flying autonomous robotic lander prototype. The project is to develop a new generation of small, smart, versatile robotic landers to achieve scientific and exploration goals on the surface of the moon and near-Earth asteroids. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 08:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111081105.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110106144751.htm The moon has long been studied to help us better understand our own planet. Of particular interest is the lunar interior, which could hold clues to its ancient origins. In an attempt to extract information on the very deep interior of the moon, researchers applied new technology to old data. Apollo seismic data was reanalyzed using modern methodologies and detected what many scientists have predicted: the moon has a core. Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110106144751.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101217192858.htm Researchers are creating the most precise and complete map to date of the moon's complex, heavily cratered landscape. Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101217192858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101217192856.htm With frigid temperatures already blanketing much of the United States, the arrival of the winter solstice on Dec. 21 may not be an occasion many people feel like celebrating. But a dazzling total lunar eclipse to start the day might just raise a few chilled spirits. Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101217192856.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101209141130.htm New research reveals that the abundance of so-called highly siderophile, or metal-loving, elements like gold and platinum found in the mantles of Earth, the moon and Mars were delivered by massive impactors during the final phase of planet formation over 4.5 billion years ago. The predicted sizes of the projectiles, which hit within tens of millions of years of the giant impact that produced our moon, are consistent with current planet formation models. They predict that the largest of the late impactors on Earth -- at 1,500 to 2,000 miles in diameter -- potentially modified Earth's obliquity by approximately 10 degrees, while those for the Moon, at approximately 150-200 miles, may have delivered water to its mantle. Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101209141130.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101111141816.htm A new study shows that the lunar far side highlands may be the result of tidal forces acting early in the moon's history when its solid outer crust floated on an ocean of liquid rock. Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101111141816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101027151207.htm Two micro-satellites originally launched into Earth's orbit in 2007 by NASA have been redirected by scientists toward new orbits around the moon, extending study of the Earth and moon's interaction with the solar wind. Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101027151207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101022022904.htm Scientists from NASA's Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment team have detected the widespread presence of water ice in large areas of the moon's south pole. This lunar 'permafrost' is analogous to the high-latitude terrain found on the Earth and on Mars, where subfreezing temperatures persist below the surface throughout the year, scientists say. Fri, 22 Oct 2010 02:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101022022904.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021141449.htm Scientists have produced the first detailed description of what lies below the surface at the Moon's poles. The soil and subsurface harbors water and an assortment of other compounds, including carbon dioxide, ammonia, free sodium, and, in a surprise, silver. The finding stems from a NASA mission that slammed a rocket into the Moon's south pole last fall. The collision threw debris into sunlight more than a half mile above the surface. Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021141449.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021141441.htm NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and its sophisticated suite of instruments have determined that hydrogen, mercury and other volatile substances are present in permanently shaded soils on the moon, according to a new paper. Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021141441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100929095340.htm The key to the stability of any building is its foundation, but it is difficult to test some building sites in advance -- such as those on the moon. New research is helping resolve the problem by using computer models that can utilize a small sample of soil to answer fundamental questions about how soil at a building site will interact with foundations. Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100929095340.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100923190805.htm Scientists have discovered a new type of solar wind interaction with airless bodies in our solar system. Magnetized regions called magnetic anomalies, mostly on the far side of the Moon, were found to strongly deflect the solar wind, shielding the Moon’s surface. This will help scientists understand the solar wind behavior near the lunar surface and how water may be generated in its upper layer. Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:08:08 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100923190805.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100920110942.htm The first microwave image of the complete Moon was obtained thanks to the Chinese lunar satellite Chang’E-1. Global brightness temperature maps reveal radiation from the surface and deeper layers of the Moon and its diurnal variation. This will help astronomers to determine the detailed heat flow and, thus, the inner energy of the Moon. Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:09:09 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100920110942.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100916145105.htm The moon is more geologically complex than previously thought, scientists report. Their conclusion is based on data from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, an unmanned mission to comprehensively map the entire moon. Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100916145105.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100916145051.htm A first-ever uniform, comprehensive catalog of large craters on the Moon is providing new clues to the bombardment history that characterized the chaotic early days of the inner solar system. Researchers have identified and mapped more than 5,000 large craters, established the oldest regions on the moon, and confirmed a theory about past solar system bombardment. Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100916145051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100916090351.htm NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, completes the exploration phase of its mission on Sept. 16, after a number of successes that transformed our understanding of Earth's nearest neighbor. LRO completed a one-year exploration mission in a polar orbit approximately 31 miles above the moon's surface. It produced a comprehensive map of the lunar surface in unprecedented detail; searched for resources and safe landing sites for potential future missions to the moon; and measured lunar temperatures and radiation levels. Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100916090351.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100914124215.htm In August 1960, NASA launched its first communications satellite, Echo 1. Fifty years later, NASA has achieved another first by placing the ARTEMIS-P1 spacecraft into a unique orbit behind the moon, but not actually orbiting the moon itself. This type of orbit, called an Earth-Moon libration orbit, relies on a precise balancing of the Sun, Earth, and Moon gravity so that a spacecraft can orbit about a virtual location rather than about a planet or moon. The diagrams below show the full ARTEMIS-P1 orbit as it flies in proximity to the moon. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100914124215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100908094514.htm Two asteroids, several meters in diameter and in unrelated orbits, are passing within the moon's distance of Earth on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100908094514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100819141911.htm Newly discovered cliffs in the lunar crust indicate the moon shrank globally in the geologically recent past and might still be shrinking today, according to a team analyzing new images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. The results provide important clues to the moon's recent geologic and tectonic evolution. Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100819141911.htm