Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 December 10 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. America and the Sea of Serenity [3]Gene Cernan, [4]Apollo 17, [5]NASA; Anaglyph by [6]Patrick Vantuyne Explanation: Get out your [7]red/blue glasses and check out this stereo view of another world. [8]Fifty years ago the [9]scene was recorded by Apollo 17 mission commander Eugene Cernan on December 11, 1972, one orbit before descending to land on the Moon. The stereo anaglyph was assembled from two photographs ([10]AS17-147-22465, AS17-147-22466) captured from his vantage point on board the [11]Lunar Module Challenger as he and Dr. Harrison Schmitt flew over Apollo 17's [12]landing site in the [13]Taurus-Littrow Valley. The broad, sunlit face of the mountain dubbed South Massif rises near the center [14]of the frame, above the dark floor of Taurus-Littrow to its left. Piloted by Ron Evans, the Command Module America is visible in orbit in the foreground against the [15]South Massif's peak. Beyond the mountains, toward the lunar limb, lies the Moon's [16]Mare Serenitatis. Tomorrow's picture: Io __________________________________________________________________ [17]< | [18]Archive | [19]Submissions | [20]Index | [21]Search | [22]Calendar | [23]RSS | [24]Education | [25]About APOD | [26]Discuss | [27]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell ([31]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [32]Specific rights apply. [33]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [34]ASD at [35]NASA / [36]GSFC, [37]NASA Science Activation & [38]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2212/22466-22467anaVantuyne.jpg 3. https://www.nasa.gov/astronautprofiles/cernan 4. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo-17 5. https://www.nasa.gov/ 6. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/ApAnPaVa.html 7. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/Help/VendorList.html#Glasses 8. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-apollo-17-lights-up-the-night-sky-on-its-way-to-the-moon 9. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a17/a17.html 10. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a17/images17.html 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191219.html 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110908.html 13. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/a17OTM.html 14. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a17/a17.22465lbl.jpg 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap071214.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090206.html 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221209.html 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 26. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=221210 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221211.html 28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 34. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 35. https://www.nasa.gov/ 36. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 37. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 38. http://www.mtu.edu/