NASA says an object about the size of a small boulder hit the Moon in Mare Imbrium on March 17, creating an explosion bright enough to be seen on Earth. "It exploded in a flash nearly 10 times as bright as anything we've ever seen before," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.
Big moon moments —
NASA says an object about the size of a small boulder hit the Moon in Mare Imbrium on March 17, creating an explosion bright enough to be seen on Earth. "It exploded in a flash nearly 10 times as bright as anything we've ever seen before," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.
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Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969.
Big moon moments —
Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969.
NASA
Surveyor 3 spacecraft landed on April 20, 1967, to support the coming crew of Apollo 12. The objective of the Surveyor 3 was to provide data for research on "soft landings."
Big moon moments —
Surveyor 3 spacecraft landed on April 20, 1967, to support the coming crew of Apollo 12. The objective of the Surveyor 3 was to provide data for research on "soft landings."
NASA
This image is part of 27 separate frames taken by Charles Duke that shows the Apollo 16 landing site in the lunar highlands on April 23, 1972.
Big moon moments —
This image is part of 27 separate frames taken by Charles Duke that shows the Apollo 16 landing site in the lunar highlands on April 23, 1972.
NASA
Apollo 17 mission commander Eugene A. Cernan makes a short checkout of the Lunar Roving Vehicle during the early part of the first Apollo 17 extravehicular activity at the Taurus-Littrow landing site.
Big moon moments —
Apollo 17 mission commander Eugene A. Cernan makes a short checkout of the Lunar Roving Vehicle during the early part of the first Apollo 17 extravehicular activity at the Taurus-Littrow landing site.
NASA
The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, found the presence of water molecules when it was purposefully crashed into the moon to collect data from beneath the surface on October 9, 2009. The satellite is shown in this artist's rendering.
Big moon moments —
The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, found the presence of water molecules when it was purposefully crashed into the moon to collect data from beneath the surface on October 9, 2009. The satellite is shown in this artist's rendering.
NASA
The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, was launched in 2012 to detail the moon's gravitational pull using two separate space crafts, named Ebb and Flow.
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The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, was launched in 2012 to detail the moon's gravitational pull using two separate space crafts, named Ebb and Flow.
NASA
The Soviets' Lunokhod 1, the first unmanned rover, landed on the moon on November 17, 1970.
Big moon moments —
The Soviets' Lunokhod 1, the first unmanned rover, landed on the moon on November 17, 1970.
NASA