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.

                              2025 February 28
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                             Athena to the Moon
                     Image Credit: [3]Intuitive Machines

   Explanation: Planet Earth hangs in the background of this space age
   selfie. The snapshot was captured by the [4]IM-2 Nova-C lander Athena,
   just after stage separation following its February 26 [5]launch to the
   Moon. A tall robotic lander, Athena is scheduled to touch down on
   Thursday, March 6, in [6]Mons Mouton, a plateau near the Moon’s South
   Pole. The intended landing site is in the central portion of one of the
   [7]Artemis 3 potential landing regions. Athena carries rovers and
   experiments as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services
   program, including a drill intended to explore beneath the lunar
   surface in a search for evidence of frozen water. It also carries a
   propulsive drone dubbed the [8]Micro Nova Hopper. After release to the
   lunar surface, the autonomous drone is intended to hop into a nearby
   crater and send science data back to the lander.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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    Authors & editors: [20]Robert Nemiroff ([21]MTU) & [22]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([23]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [24]Specific rights apply.
              [25]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [26]ASD at [27]NASA / [28]GSFC,
                         [29]NASA Science Activation
                           & [30]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2502/AthenaEarth.png
   3. https://www.intuitivemachines.com/
   4. https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2
   5. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/liftoff-nasa-tech-science-en-route-to-moon-with-intuitive-machines/
   6. https://www.lroc.asu.edu/images/1401
   7. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-provides-update-on-artemis-iii-moon-landing-regions/
   8. https://www.intuitivemachines.com/micro-nova
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250227.html
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  13. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  18. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250228
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250301.html
  20. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  21. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  22. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  23. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  25. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  26. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  27. https://www.nasa.gov/
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  29. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  30. http://www.mtu.edu/