LOVE this photo. Thank you NASA!
regram @nasa
Our Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter recently captured a unique view of Earth from the spacecraft’s vantage point in orbit around the moon. Seen in this composite image, we see Earth appear to rise over the lunar horizon from the viewpoint of the spacecraft, with the center of the Earth just off the coast of Liberia. On the moon, we get a glimpse of the crater Compton, which is located just beyond the eastern limb of the moon, on the lunar farside.
LRO was launched on June 18, 2009, and has collected a treasure trove of data with its seven powerful instruments, making an invaluable contribution to our knowledge about the moon. LRO experiences 12 earthrises every day; however the spacecraft is almost always busy imaging the lunar surface so only rarely does an opportunity arise such that its camera instrument can capture a view of Earth.
Image credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University
#nasa #space #moon #earth #science #astronomy #lro #lunar #earthrise by timonbass