                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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

                             Athena to the Moon
                      Image Credit: Intuitive Machines

   Explanation: Planet Earth hangs in the background of this space age
   selfie. The snapshot was captured by the IM-2 Nova-C lander Athena,
   just after stage separation following its February 26 launch to the
   Moon. A tall robotic lander, Athena is scheduled to touch down on
   Thursday, March 6, in Mons Mouton, a plateau near the Moon’s South
   Pole. The intended landing site is in the central portion of one of the
   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 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: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

