Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day we feature a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

October 7, 1995
See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.
Apollo 12's Lunar Module Descends
Credit: NASA, Kennedy Space Center, Richard Gordan

Explanation: A few months after Apollo 11's historic Moon landing, Apollo 12 with commander Charles Conrad Jr., Command Module pilot Richard Gordan, and Lunar Module pilot Alan Bean returned for more geographic and scientific exploration. Gordan took the above picture from the Command Module, where he stayed during the mission, while Conrad and Bean in the Lunar Module descend to the lunar surface, where they landed, collected samples and conducted scientific experiments.

Tomorrow's picture: Apollo 12 Visits Surveyor 3

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (GMU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA).
NASA Technical Rep.: Sherri Calvo. Specific rights apply.
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