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. 2022 April 21 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Apollo 16 Moon Panorama Image Credit: [3]Apollo 16, [4]NASA; Panorama Assembly: [5]Mike Constantine Explanation: [6]Fifty years ago, April 20, 1972, [7]Apollo 16's lunar module Orion touched down on the Moon's near side in the south-central Descartes Highlands. While astronaut [8]Ken Mattingly orbited overhead in Casper the friendly command and service module the Orion brought [9]John Young and Charles Duke to the lunar surface. The pair would spend nearly [10]three days on the Moon. Constructed from images [11](AS16-117-18814 to AS16-117-18820) taken near the end of their third and final surface excursion this panoramic view puts the lunar module in the distance toward the left. Their [12]electric lunar roving vehicle in the foreground, Duke is operating the camera while Young aims the high gain communications antenna skyward, [13]toward planet Earth. Celebrate: [14]Earth Day Tomorrow's picture: our fair planet __________________________________________________________________ [15]< | [16]Archive | [17]Submissions | [18]Index | [19]Search | [20]Calendar | [21]RSS | [22]Education | [23]About APOD | [24]Discuss | [25]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [26]Robert Nemiroff ([27]MTU) & [28]Jerry Bonnell ([29]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [30]Specific rights apply. [31]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC & [35]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2204/Apollo-16-station-10.jpg 3. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo16.html 4. https://www.nasa.gov/ 5. http://moonpans.com/ 6. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-apollo-16-launches-to-the-moon 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_16 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_16#/media/File:Apollo_16_crew.jpg 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_16#/media/File:Apollo_16_crew.jpg 10. https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/a16.html 11. https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/images16.html#M117 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130129.html 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210429.html 14. https://nasa.6connex.com/event/NASAScience/NASA-at-Earth-Day/login 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220420.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 19. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 24. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=220421 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220422.html 26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 29. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 31. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 33. https://www.nasa.gov/ 34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 35. http://www.mtu.edu/