Sunset on the moon seen in stunning images taken by lunar lander
A lunar lander has completed its two-week mission and sent spectacular sunset images as a "final goodbye" back to Earth.
The Blue Ghost Mission 1 lander was launched by Firefly Aerospace in mid-January and landed on the moon on March 2. It was the first successful commercial moon landing. The lander delivered 10 NASA science and delivery payloads to the Mare Crisium basin, which is a lava-flooded region on the near side of the moon formed by an asteroid impact.
The payloads were delivered as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services and Artemis programs, NASA said in a news release, and were used to collect data and perform other scientific operations on the moon.
While making the deliveries, the Blue Ghost lander experienced one lunar day. During the course of that day, it captured several images and videos. It imaged a total solar eclipse from the surface of the moon and also took pictures of the sunset.
In a post on social media, Firefly Aerospace referred to the sunset picture as the lander's farewell.
"Sunsets hit differently on the Moon!" the company wrote, alongside several photos, including those of the sunset and the eclipse. "More images below of the horizon glow that comes to life just above the Moon's surface as the sun goes down. This milestone embodies all the achievements from this historic Firefly mission. Thank you #BlueGhost for the final goodbye. Until next time!"
During the mission, the lander transmitted 119 gigabytes of data back to Earth, NASA said. The instruments carried by the lander performed many first-of-their kind science and technology demonstrations, including starting the moon's deepest robotic planetary subsurface thermal probe and using an X-ray imager to study the interaction of solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field.
"Operating on the Moon is complex; carrying 10 payloads, more than has ever flown on a (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) delivery before, makes the mission that much more impressive," Joel Kearns, the deputy associate administrator for exploration at NASA's, Science Mission Directorate, said in a statement. "Teams are eagerly analyzing their data, and we are extremely excited for the expected scientific findings that will be gained from this mission."
This mission set a record for the longest commercial mission, NASA said. The Commercial Lunar Payload Services is set to send more than 50 instruments to various parts of the moon, the space agency said.
Sneak peek: The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills
Inside Trump's call with Vladimir Putin
100 years since deadliest tornado in U.S. history
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gizmodo
13 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
ISS Conference Scrapped as NASA Budget Cuts Threaten Crew and Cargo
The International Space Station (ISS) still has a few years left in orbit before it's due for retirement, but the future of the orbital lab is looking a little shaky as NASA is forced to tighten its purse strings. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), which operates the ISS National Lab, is canceling an upcoming space station research conference, SpaceNews reported. The ISS Research and Development Conference was due to be held at the end of July in Seattle, but CASIS announced this week that, after consulting with NASA, 'the current regulatory and budgetary environment does not support holding' the annual conference this year. The announcement comes a little over a month after the release of the current administration's so-called skinny budget, which included funding for NASA in 2026. The budget proposes a $6 billion cut to the agency, 24% less than NASA's current $24.8 billion budget for 2025. The budget also proposes reducing the size of the ISS crew ahead of its planned retirement in 2030, when it's expected to be replaced by multiple commercial space stations. Funding for the ISS could be reduced by a quarter, from $1.24 billion to $920 million, according to the proposed budget for 2026. 'Crew and cargo flights to the station would be significantly reduced,' the budget proposal read. 'The station's reduced research capacity would be focused on efforts critical to the Moon and Mars exploration programs.' During a briefing held in late May, Dana Weigel, NASA's ISS program manager, revealed that the space agency had already been facing resource issues regarding the space station before the 2026 budget proposal. 'The station has been faced with a cumulative multi-year budget reduction,' Weigel is quoted in SpaceNews as saying. 'That's the challenge that I've had that we've been managing through today. That has left us with some budget and resource challenges that result in less cargo.' The cargo includes supplies for onboard crew members. For more than two decades, the space agency has maintained a crew of at least four NASA astronauts on board the ISS, along with international crew members from Russia, Japan, Canada, and other countries. NASA has previously flown four or five cargo missions a year, but the agency has only planned for three drop-offs in 2025. 'We're evaluating the potential for moving to three crew,' Weigel said during the briefing. 'That's something that we're working through and trying to assess today.' NASA is also considering extending the duration of missions on the ISS from six to eight months, Ars Technica previously reported. Meanwhile, five commercial space stations, including Orbital Reef, Axiom Station, and Starlab, are currently in the works but nowhere near being ready to host astronauts in low Earth orbit. The ISS maintains a steady presence of orbital science above Earth's surface, which would leave behind a major gap to fill.
Time Magazine
an hour ago
- Time Magazine
How and When You Can See June's Spectacular Strawberry Moon
An upcoming lunar event is sure to catch the attention of avid sky-watchers. In June, the Strawberry Moon will make an appearance. Known for its unique amber hues and, at certain glances, rosy glow, the Strawberry Moon is thought of as the final full moon of the spring or the first full moon of the summer. It's the 6th of 12 full moons in 2025. In short, it's something you won't want to miss. In rare moments, the Strawberry Moon can occur at the same time as the summer solstice. This was the case in 2016, when Astronaut Jeff Williams of NASA captured the 'spectacular rise' of the full moon from the International Space Station. In 2023, the Strawberry Moon shone over New York City's Statue of Liberty landmark, resulting in striking photos taken in the early hours of the morning. Here's how and when you can see the celestial event in 2025: What exactly is the Strawberry Moon and how did it get its name? The name Strawberry Moon comes from the fact that the month of June is when the harvesting of strawberries occurs, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Moons often get their name from the season, like how May's Flower Moon references spring's abundance of blossoms. According to Western Washington University, the Strawberry Moon moniker was used by several Indigenous tribes. Other Native American tribes have called the lunar spectacular the Hot Moon and the Blooming Moon, to commemorate the spring season, and the Hatching Moon or Birth Moon to commemorate new life. Outside of North America, Europeans have in the past dubbed it the Rose Moon or even the Honey Moon, as June is typically the first honey harvest of the year. When can you see the 2025 Strawberry Moon? The Strawberry Moon's peak is expected to fall on June 11 at 3:44 A.M. ET, though the best time to view the moon will be as it rises on June 10 at dusk in the Southeast of the U.S., when the moon casts a warm, amber hue across the sky. The moon rising occurs at different times depending on location. In New York, for example, the best time to view the lunar event will be at 8:30 p.m. in New York, and around 8:00 p.m. in Los Angeles. The red supergiant star Antares will be visible in the night sky on June 10 or 11. Australians and New Zealanders, along with those in the South Pacific, will be able to watch the moon occult—or block—Antares. Antares is the brightest star in the Scorpius constellation, and its lunar occultation will occur at twilight for those in the western part of the South Pacific, and in the eastern part of the region it will occur later in the evening, around 7:00 p.m. local time. What is the best way to witness the 2025 Strawberry Moon? The moon will appear clearest in places without light pollution and from an elevated spot. Ideal locations include someplace with an uncompromised view of the eastern horizon June's Strawberry Moon is also the lowest-hanging full moon of the year as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. According to EarthSky, this Strawberry Moon is the lowest full moon since 2006, due to the major lunar standstill. This phenomenon, which occurs every 18.6 years, causes the moonrise and moonset to occur at the most extreme north and southernmost points. Best practices for viewing the moon with a bare eye is to give yourself "plenty of time for your eyes to adjust and look carefully," according to NASA. But the full moon can be seen with even more specificity via binoculars or a small telescope, which allow viewers to observe many different features of the moon, including its mountain ridges and where it has been marked by impacts from other celestial objects.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NASA scientists describe ‘absolute sh*tshow' at agency as Trump budget seeks to dismantle top US climate lab
NASA scientists are in a state of anxious limbo after the Trump administration proposed a budget that would eliminate one of the United States' top climate labs – the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, or GISS – as a standalone entity. In its place, it would move some of the lab's functions into a broader environmental modeling effort across the agency. Career specialists are now working remotely, awaiting details and even more unsure about their future at the lab after they were kicked out of their longtime home in New York City last week. Closing the lab for good could jeopardize its value and the country's leadership role in global climate science, sources say. 'It's an absolute sh*tshow,' one GISS scientist said under condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. 'Morale at GISS has never been lower, and it feels for all of us that we are being abandoned by NASA leadership.' 'We are supposedly going to be integrated into this new virtual NASA modeling institute, but (we have) no idea what that will actually look like,' they said. NASA is defending its budget proposal, with a nod toward the lab's future. 'NASA's GISS has a significant place in the history of space science and its work is critical for the Earth Science Division, particularly as the division looks to the future of its modeling work and capabilities,' NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner said in a statement. 'Fundamental contributions in research and applications from GISS directly impact daily life by showing the Earth system connections that impact the air we breathe, our health, the food we grow, and the cities we live in,' Warner said. GISS has a storied history in climate science on the global scale. James Hansen, a former director, first called national attention to human-caused global warming at a Senate hearing during the hot summer of 1988. The lab, founded in 1961, is still known worldwide for its computer modeling of the planet that enable scientists to make projections for how climate change may affect global temperatures, precipitation, extreme weather events and other variables. The about 125 scientists who work there are also known for tracking global temperatures, with GISS' records serving as one of the independent checks on other labs around the world monitoring global warming. The lab stands out, the scientist said, for its 'fundamental work contributing to our understanding of global warming, volcanic and aerosol forcing of climate, and advances in detection and attribution' of climate change impacts. 'All work that was curiosity-driven and enabled by the autonomy we had at GISS to pursue these questions,' they said, adding: 'Everyone is stressed because we have no clarity from leadership on even what the long-term plan is. (It) Really feels like we are just being left to die on the vine.' Another GISS scientist, who also spoke under the condition of anonymity, said the lab's independence has been key to its success, which can be seen in the abundance of published studies from researchers at the facility. The autonomy afforded to GISS over the years, given its distance from NASA headquarters in Washington, and its academic-like freedom helped its researchers take on important studies that might not be pursued in other circumstances, they said. And unlike high-level managers at NASA, GISS' leadership received high marks for their communications and advocacy of the center's work, according to three researchers. 'It is important for climate modeling to continue,' one of the GISS researchers said. 'They're the best tools that we have for the planet.' A technical NASA budget supplement released late last week committed to 'strengthening America's leadership in space exploration while exercising fiscal responsibility. NASA is adapting the way we work and invest to accomplish our mission,' Warner, the spokesperson, said. That Republicans' proposed NASA budget includes funding for climate modeling at all is notable, considering its cuts for space exploration and overall Earth science. Numerous space exploration missions and satellites would be abandoned under the budget, including some satellites already in space that are actively sending climate-related data back to Earth. The budget supplement makes GISS' fate both clear and hazy. It states Earth system modeling activities at four different NASA centers will be merged into one 'virtual institute.' This would incorporate 'core capabilities' of GISS 'as needed,' it adds. 'GISS as an independent entity will not continue,' the document says. This fate may be considerably better for NASA's climate scientists than the worst-case scenario seen at agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where the budget for nearly its entire weather and climate research portfolio would be zeroed out and most of its research labs shuttered. Overall, the NASA budget would be a 24% cut compared to last year, with a 47% cut to agency science activities, according to The Planetary Society, a group that advances space science and innovation. Its analysis found the NASA funding level would be the smallest since 1961 when adjusted for inflation. The ultimate decisions on the future of climate modeling at NASA, as well as its space exploration activities, will fall to Congress as members consider the budget proposal, adding even more uncertainty to an already fraught period for GISS's staff.
