MD7’s Post

Did you know the Moon looks different depending on where you are on Earth? 🌍🌝 For example, the waning crescent may point left in some places, right in others, and sometimes even resemble the Cheshire Cat’s smile! 🐱 This variation is due to how the Moon’s orientation changes with your latitude. Observers at the Northern and Southern Poles see the Moon as if it were flipped. 🌜🌛 As you move between latitudes, the Moon appears to rotate by an angle equivalent to the latitude you’ve crossed. 🌐 What’s your favorite lunar look? Let us know in the comments!

🚀 **Japan's Moon Lander Survives Second Lunar Night, Defying Expectations** 🌕 Japan's space agency, JAXA, received a signal indicating that its first moon lander, Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has miraculously endured a second freezing lunar night. SLIM, which made a successful touchdown on January 20, faced challenges as it landed upside down, with solar panels initially unable to capture sunlight. Despite these obstacles, the probe regained power on the eighth day after landing and collected geological data from moon rocks. The recent communication was kept short due to high temperatures, and JAXA plans to re-establish contact after the vehicle cools down. SLIM's unexpected survival marks a significant achievement for Japan, providing an opportunity to explore lunar mysteries and compare mineral compositions of moon rocks with Earth. 🌌🛰️ #MoonLander #SpaceExploration #JAXA #SLIM #LunarMission #SpaceNews 🚀🌠

It’s the last full moon of 2023, called the Long Night Moon because of its proximity to the winter solstice (for the northern hemisphere). Step up your observing with our Daily Moon Guide, complete with lunar sightseeing suggestions and viewing tips: https://lnkd.in/dKJidFc4::

#NationalMoonDay On this day in 1969, humans landed on the moon for the first time. Fifty-four years later, the Moon is a cornerstone of solar system science and the closest world beyond our own on which humans may establish a sustainable presence. 🌒 Today, easier access to space has opened new possibilities for government and commercial organizations to use cislunar space and the lunar surface for a variety of purposes. This has driven the need for additional capabilities to enhance safety and security for operating in cislunar space. Learn more about APL’s efforts in the Cislunar domain: jhuapl.link/cislunar #JHUAPL | #OnThisDay | #SpaceExploration | #Cislunar | #LunarScience | #SpaceSecurity | #MoonLanding

🌈World Moon Day or National Moon Day, in commemoration of the first moon landing in 1969. 🔹Date: July 20, 1969 🔹Mission: Apollo 11 🔹Astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins 🔹First Steps: Armstrong and Aldrin 🔹Duration of Moonwalk: Two and a half hours 🔹Collected Samples: 47.5 pounds of lunar material 🔹Importance: It marked a major milestone in the space race and opened up possibilities for space exploration. 🔹World Moon Day: It is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the moon landing and to promote future space exploration and research.

China's Chang'e-6 lander successfully touched down on the far side of the Moon late on Saturday (UTC). Here's sped up footage of the landing, with a noticeable hover and hazard avoidance phase. Altitude is impossible to discern when watching fire to the fractal nature of the lunar surface. This is a big step towards bringing unique and scientifically invaluable lunar samples to Earth. https://lnkd.in/dyVMHH2K

This September's full moon, won't just be a supermoon, it will also be a partial lunar eclipse. The partial lunar eclipse will be widely visible, so as long as you know what time to look up, you'll likely be able to see it. "The partial lunar eclipse will be visible from most of North America, all of South America, Europe, all but the easternmost parts of Africa, western portions of Asia and Russia, and parts of Antarctica," according to Space.com.

The Moon's 30-day cycle of phases, influenced by its orbit around Earth and its positioning with the Sun, showcases changing appearances. From the New Moon, where the illuminated part faces away, to the Full Moon, representing complete illumination, the lunar phases captivate observers. This dynamic celestial dance is a result of the Moon's orbit, creating a visually fascinating cycle. Each phase, such as the Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, and Waning Gibbous, reflects the Moon's evolving relationship with sunlight. The lunar cycle, transitioning through Waxing and Waning phases, ends with the New Moon, restarting the captivating sequence. These phases offer a glimpse into the intricate interplay of the Moon, Earth, and Sun, a celestial spectacle that has intrigued humanity for centuries. #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #spacenews

New moon, new intentions. Join me in setting goals with the lunar cycle tonight! 🌑 #journalprompt Considering the current phase of the moon, what intentions would you like to set for this cycle and why? #journalprompts #SoulfulProsperityCoach #CoachJennMaher #explorepage

China lands on moon's far side in historic sample-retrieval mission At 738 am on Tuesday, the Chang'e-6 ascender lifted off from the far side of the moon carrying lunar samples and was successfully sent into the targeted orbit around the moon. Previously, from Sunday to Monday, Chang'e-6 successfully completed one of the core key aspects of this mission, namely the intelligent and rapid sampling of the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon. So far, China has become the only country in the world that has landed on the far side of the moon twice. This is also the first time that humans have successfully collected lunar soil from the far side of the moon. #moon #lunar #samples #southpole