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Mare Nectaris
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/09/08
Posts: 1432
Loc: Toijala, Finland
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Hi all,
once again I was going through that interesting book "Die Mondlandung. Der Menschheit grösstes Abenteuer" by Herbert J. Pichler (Verlag Fritz Molden, 1969).
On page 185, there was an interesting reference there on Lunar Orbiter 3 having taken a shot on the 22nd of February 1967 of the (then already silenced) Surveyor 1, landed on Oceanus Procellarum.
The pic had a significant role as the scientists could use the location of Surveyor 1 as a reference, enabling the calibrating of Lunar pics, as it was possible to accurately compare Surveyor 1 pic with that of Lunar Orbiter 3.
I also found from the net that Lunar Orbiter 3 pic showing Surveyor 1: (194-H3) from the 22nd of February 1967.
Now, does anybody know any other occasion when a Lunar photo (taken from Lunar orbit) shows another vehicle or any other mandmade object on the Lunar surface?
Be well all!
--------------------
Share - and you shall have it all
Timo Keski-Petäjä
CtheMoon
Observation shelter KuuMaja (MoonHut)
TAL 250K*Celestron C8-N*SkyWatcher Skymax 150 Pro*TAL1(Mizar)*EQ6 Pro SynScan*Celestron Advanced GT (CG-5 GOTO)*Baader Hyperion Clickstop Zoom 8-24*17 mm UWA-70*TeleVue BIG 2x Barlow*Celestron 2x Barlow Ultima SV Series
Edited by Mare Nectaris (07/07/08 07:53 AM)
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Centaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 1376
Loc: Chicago
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Timo, here’s a link to a photograph taken recently by the Japanese lunar orbiter. It reveals the marks made by the engine blast from the Apollo 11 lunar module.
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=13792
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For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 8279
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Quote:
Hi all,
once again I was going throuhg that interesting book "Die Mondlandung. Der Menschheit grösstes Abenteuer" by Herbert J. Pichler (Verlag Fritz Molden, 1969).
On page 185, there was an interesting reference there on Lunar Orbiter 3 having taken a shot on the 22nd of February 1967 of the (then already silenced) Surveyor 1, landed on Oceanus Procellarum.
The pic had a significant role as the scientists could use the location of Surveyor 1 as a reference, enabling the calibrating of Lunar pics, as it was possible to accurately compare Surveyor 1 pic with that of Lunar Orbiter 3.
I also found from the net that Lunar Orbiter 3 pic showing Surveyor 1: (194-H3) from the 22nd of February 1967.
Now, does anybody know any other occasion when a Lunar photo (taken from Lunar orbit) shows another vehicle or any other mandmade object on the Lunar surface?
Be well all!
In addition to the image of Surveyor from Lunar Orbiter III, one of the lunar orbiters imaged one of the craters made by the impact of one Ranger probe. There are also images taken by the Apollo astronaut in the command module from lunar orbit of the lunar modules actually sitting on the lunar surface. There isn't much detail of the landers in them other than a brighter dot with a longer shadow, but they are there. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
Prairie Astronomy Club
http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
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Mare Nectaris
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/09/08
Posts: 1432
Loc: Toijala, Finland
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Thanks Curt and David!
From the site Curt provided I found some additional pics taken from the orbit showing some interesting Apollo -related pics...
Also found a paper by C.M.Pieters (et al) submitted to COSPAR/ICEUM8 proceedings, suggesting some calibration points for further Lunar orbital photography (as that Orbiter 3 / Surveyor pic was important for calibration originally).
About those manmade craters, I also found an interesting resource: APOLLO OVER THE MOON. A View From Orbit Editors HAROLD MASURSKY, G. W. COLTON, and FAROUK EL-BAZ Scientific and Technical Information Office 1978 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, Washington, D.C . (NASA SP-362).
There is an interesting discussion on page [126] starting on figure 120, in the chapter dealing with craters (Chapter 5, Craters 2 / 6) about the amount of manmade craters on the Moon at the moment of the book being published in 1978.
According to professor Ewen A. Whitaker of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona, there was estimated to be some 28-36 manmade craters on the Lunar surface. About five of them had been identified visually at that time.
Professor Whitaker found the first crater in 1972. It was caused in February 1971 by intentionally letting the Saturn IV B stage 4 of the launch vehicle impact western Mare Cognitum, for the purpose of creating seismic waves to be registered on the Lunar surface. The impact crater has black ejecta rays.
Also on Mare Cognitum, there is the crater of Ranger 7 (July 31 1964), travelling at a velocity of 2,65 km / second and making a 14 m crater with light rays (thus different from the crater by Saturn IV B stage).
Ranger 9 impacted to the floor of crater Alphonsus on March 24 1965, intentionally with same orbital velocity and trajectory inclination - creating a similar crater as Ranger 7 by the mere 1/2 meters difference in size.
Be well!
EDIT: added info on the manmade craters from the book
Edited by Mare Nectaris (07/07/08 10:40 AM)
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 8279
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Mare Nectaris wrote:
Quote:
Professor Whitaker found the first crater in 1972. It was caused in February 1971 by intentionally letting the Saturn IV B stage 4 of the launch vehicle impact western Mare Cognitum, for the purpose of creating seismic waves to be registered on the Lunar surface. The impact crater has black ejecta rays.
I remember watching with my little 2.4 inch refractor for the impact of Apollo 13's 3rd stage but never saw anything. I suspect that even with what I have now, I still probably would not have caught the event. Still, like the impact of the SMART probe, I would definitely be watching for it. I guess we have another opportunity coming up soon with the LCROSS impactor due to be launched later this year:
http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/
Just as a minor terminology correction, the Saturn V launch vehicle had only three stages rather than four. Each stage had a designation: the first stage was the SI-C, the second the SII, and the third stage was the SIV-B (the stage that hit the moon on Apollo 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17). For some reason, there never was an SIII stage actually built or used in the Saturn V, although the designation did briefly exist during the development of the Saturn I launch vehicle. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
Prairie Astronomy Club
http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
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Mare Nectaris
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/09/08
Posts: 1432
Loc: Toijala, Finland
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Hi David,
thanks for that correction on the Saturn stage! As can be seen from the following piece of text, the mistake was solely mine!
Thanks also for that interesting info on the LCROSS!
It is interesting to see if more of the manmade craterlets (than e.g. those 5 mentioned at the moment of the "Apollo over the Moon" in 1978) will be identified from the better resolving pics from the orbiters.
Anyhow, here’s a link to the AS16-5444(P), showing the dark ejecta of the impact (on February 1971) of SIVB stage of the Apollo 14, first located by professor Whitaker in 1972.
The pic was taken from orbit by the panoramic camera, from an altitude of 144 kilometers, the Sun elevation being 20 degrees and with forward camera tilt (this info is from the source mentioned in the previous post).
In the book (mentioned in the previous post), the figure 120, on page [126] had the following text by Henry J. Moore (initials H.J.M), U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California:
“First located by Whitaker (1972), the manmade crater is easily identified by its pattern of dark rays interspersed with a few light rays. It was created in February 1971 by the SIVB stage of the Apollo 14 launch vehicle, which was directed to crash onto the lunar surface to generate seismic waves for detection by seismometers set up at the Apollo landing sites. The surface trace of the SIVB's trajectory is shown by a dashed line.-H.J.M.”
Be well!
--------------------
Share - and you shall have it all
Timo Keski-Petäjä
CtheMoon
Observation shelter KuuMaja (MoonHut)
TAL 250K*Celestron C8-N*SkyWatcher Skymax 150 Pro*TAL1(Mizar)*EQ6 Pro SynScan*Celestron Advanced GT (CG-5 GOTO)*Baader Hyperion Clickstop Zoom 8-24*17 mm UWA-70*TeleVue BIG 2x Barlow*Celestron 2x Barlow Ultima SV Series
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