Browse Archive

  • This graphic highlights locations on the moon NASA considers 'lunar heritage sites' and the path NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory spacecraft will take on their final flight.

    Lunar Heritage Sites and GRAIL's Final Mile

    This graphic highlights locations on the moon NASA considers "lunar heritage sites" and the path NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory spacecraft will take on their final flight. Navigators ...

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  • These maps of Earth's moon highlight the region where the twin spacecraft of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission will impact on Dec. 17, marking the end of its successful endeavor to map the moon's gravity.

    GRAIL's Final Resting Spot

    These maps of Earth's moon highlight the region where the twin spacecraft of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission will impact on Dec. 17, marking the end of its successful e...

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  • This still image and animation shows the final flight path for NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission spacecraft, which will impact the moon on Dec. 17, 2012, around 2:28 p.m. PST.

    Last Flight for GRAIL's Twin Spacecraft

    This still image and animation shows the final flight path for NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission spacecraft, which will impact the moon on Dec. 17, 2012, around 2:28...

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  • This graphic depicting the bulk density of the lunar highlands on the near and far sides of the moon was generated using gravity data from NASA's GRAIL mission and topography data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

    Mapping Lunar Highlands

    This graphic depicting the bulk density of the lunar highlands on the near and far sides of the moon was generated using gravity data from NASA's GRAIL mission and topography data from NASA's Lunar Re...

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  • This graphic depicting the crustal thickness of the moon was generated using gravity data from NASA's GRAIL mission and topography data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

    Olivine Materials Map to Thin Moon Crust

    This graphic depicting the crustal thickness of the moon was generated using gravity data from NASA's GRAIL mission and topography data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The measurements match...

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  • This image depicting the porosity of the lunar highland crust was derived using bulk density data from NASA's GRAIL mission and independent grain density measurements from NASA's Apollo moon mission samples as well as orbital remote-sensing data.

    Closer Look at Lunar Highland Crust

    This image depicting the porosity of the lunar highland crust was derived using bulk density data from NASA's GRAIL mission and independent grain density measurements from NASA's Apollo moon mission s...

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  • GRAIL's Gravity Field of the Moon

    GRAIL's Gravity Field of the Moon

    This map shows the gravity field of the moon as measured by NASA's GRAIL mission. The viewing perspective, known as a Mercator projection, shows the far side of the moon in the center and the nearside...

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  • NASA's GRAIL mission took this flyover video above the Mare Orientale basin of Earth's moon.

    Mare Orientale Flyover

    NASA's GRAIL mission took this flyover video above the Mare Orientale basin of Earth's moon. It was collected by the MoonKAM aboard GRAIL's Ebb spacecraft on April 7 and 8, 2012.

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  • This animation depicting the crustal thickness of the moon was derived using gravity data from NASA's GRAIL mission and topography data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

    Map of Moon's Crust

    This animation depicting the crustal thickness of the moon was derived using gravity data from NASA's GRAIL mission and topography data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The measurements match...

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  • Variations in the lunar gravity field

    GRAIL's Gravity Map of the Moon

    This image shows the variations in the lunar gravity field as measured by NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) during the primary mapping mission from March to May 2012. Very precis...

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  • This movie shows the 'Bouguer' gravity of Earth's moon based on data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) and topography from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter.

    GRAIL's 'Bouguer' Gravity Moon Map

    This movie shows the "Bouguer" gravity of Earth's moon based on data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) and topography from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Lunar Orbiter L...

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  • moon map

    Lunar Gravity Gradients

    This moon map shows the gravity gradients calculated by NASA's GRAIL mission. Red and blue correspond to stronger gravity gradients.

    Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/CSM

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  • Map of one side of the moon

    Moon Dike Map

    This map of one side of the moon shows the location of some of the giant dikes identified by NASA's GRAIL mission. These dikes are solidified magma filled cracks with lengths up to 300 miles (480 kilo...

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  • Moon Gravity Field Using Prospector Data

    Moon Gravity Field Using Prospector Data

    This map shows the gravity field of the moon from the Lunar Prospector mission. The viewing perspective, known as a Mercator projection, shows the far side of the moon in the center and the nearside (...

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  • A profile across one of the linear gravity anomalies found by NASA's GRAIL mission

    GRAIL Identifies Moon Dikes

    A profile across one of the linear gravity anomalies found by NASA's GRAIL mission shows that it has higher gravity than the surroundings (the anomaly is the red line in graph at bottom left; its loca...

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  • A linear gravity anomaly intersecting the Crisium basin on the nearside of the moon

    Gravity Anomaly Intersects Moon Basin

    A linear gravity anomaly intersecting the Crisium basin on the nearside of the moon has been revealed by NASA's GRAIL mission. The GRAIL gravity gradient data are shown at left, with the location of t...

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  • Data showing a 300-mile-long (500 kilometer-long) linear gravity anomaly on the far side of the moon

    GRAIL Spots Gravity Anomaly

    A 300-mile-long (500 kilometer-long) linear gravity anomaly on the far side of the moon has been revealed by gravity gradients measured by NASA's GRAIL mission. GRAIL data are shown on the left, with ...

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  • Maps of the near and far side of the moon

    Linear Gravity Anomalies

    These maps of the near and far side of the moon show the gravity gradients as measured by NASA's GRAIL mission, highlighting a population of linear gravity anomalies. The linear gravity anomalies are ...

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  • Maps of the near and far side of the moon

    GRAIL's Gravity Gradients

    These maps of the near and far side of the moon show gravity gradients as measured by NASA's GRAIL mission.

    Red and blue areas indicate stronger gradients due to underlying mass anomalies...

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  • Maps of the moon

    Gravity of the Moon's Crust

    These maps of the moon show the "Bouguer" gravity anomalies as measured by NASA's GRAIL mission. Bouguer gravity is what remains from the gravity field when the attraction of surface topography is rem...

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