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. 2024 January 30 [2]The lunar surface is shown with a box-like gold-colored machine in the middle. A close inspection of the machine reveals that its thrusters are at the top, so it is on its side. The background sky is dark. Two horizontal lines are an artifact of the digital imaging and not part of the lunar landscape. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. SLIM Lands on the Moon Image Credit & Copyright: [3]JAXA, [4]Takara Tomy, [5]Sony Co., [6]Doshisha U. Explanation: New landers are on the Moon. Nearly two weeks ago, [7]Japan's [8]Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) released two rovers as it descended, before its main lander touched down itself. The larger of the two rovers can [9]hop like a frog, while the smaller rover is about the size of a [10]baseball and can move after [11]pulling itself apart like a [12]transformer. The main lander, nicknamed Moon Sniper, is seen in the [13]featured image taken by the smaller rover. Inspection of the image shows that [14]Moon Sniper's thrusters are facing up, meaning that the lander is [15]upside down from its descent configuration and on its side from its intended [16]landing configuration. One result is that [17]Moon Sniper's [18]solar panels are not in the [19]expected orientation, so that [20]powering the lander had to be curtailed and adapted. [21]SLIM's lander has [22]already succeeded as a technology demonstration, its main mission, but was not designed to withstand the lunar night -- which [23]starts tomorrow. Tomorrow's picture: orion rising __________________________________________________________________ [24]< | [25]Archive | [26]Submissions | [27]Index | [28]Search | [29]Calendar | [30]RSS | [31]Education | [32]About APOD | [33]Discuss | [34]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell ([38]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn; [39]Specific rights apply. [40]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC, [44]NASA Science Activation & [45]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2401/Slim_jaxa_960.jpg 3. https://global.jaxa.jp/ 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomy 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony 6. https://www.doshisha.ac.jp/en/ 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan 8. https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/missions/spacecraft/current/slim.html 9. https://youtu.be/tP2TWhDVPVY 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_(ball) 11. https://youtu.be/F9ImPb8EnPU 12. https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/a-mini-moon-rover-from-the-toy-company-that-created-transformers 13. https://www.jaxa.jp/press/2024/01/20240125-4_j.html 14. https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/missions/spacecraft/current/slim.html 15. https://img2.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/котэ-живность-3650094.jpeg 16. https://youtu.be/57hS8uLU7v4 17. https://global.jaxa.jp/countdown/slim_special_site.html 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091130.html 19. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/science/japan-moon-lander-slim.html 20. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/what-powers-a-spacecraft/ 21. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2023-137D 22. https://youtu.be/nvXLt3ET9mE?t=11800 23. https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5187/ 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240129.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 30. https://apod.com/feed.rss 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240130 34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240131.html 35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 37. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/ 43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 45. http://www.mtu.edu/