Astronomy Picture of the Day

Earthrise from Moon-Orbiting Kaguya


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Earthrise from Moon-Orbiting Kaguya


Explanation:
What does the Earth look like from the Moon?

A new version of this
space age
perspective
was captured by the
robotic
Kaguya spacecraft
currently in orbit around Earth's Moon.

Launched two months ago by Japan, the
scientific
mission
of the
Selenological
and Engineering Explorer (SELENE), nicknamed Kaguya, is to study the
origin
and evolution of the Moon.

Last month Kaguya
reached lunar orbit and starting transmitting data and images.

This frame is
from Kaguya's onboard
HDTV camera.

An astronaut standing on the lunar surface
would never actually see the Earth rise, since the Moon always keeps the
same side toward the Earth.

This Earthrise as well as the
famous Earthrise captured 40 years ago
by the crew of
Apollo 8,
only occurs for observers in lunar orbit.




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