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Wow! Japan’s moon probe updates Earthrise
High-definition camera sends back reprise of famous Apollo-era photos
 JAXA / NHK In this image, taken from high-definition video shot from Japan's Kaguya spacecraft, a region of the moon's surface near its north pole is shown. The Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean can be observed on Earth. |
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 | Seeing Earth from the moon Nov. 14: A series of high-definition images shows Earth at the lunar horizon. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports. msnbc.com |
A Japanese moon probe has replicated the famous Apollo-era "Earthrise" photograph with modern high-definition imaging.
The Kaguya spacecraft, also called Selene, has been orbiting 62 miles (100 kilometers) above the moon since Oct. 18.
The new Earthrise image shows our blue world floating in the blackness of space. Released on Tuesday, it is a still shot taken from video made by the craft's high-definition television camera.
A second image, taken from a different location in the lunar orbit, has been dubbed "Earthset." A related series of still images shows our planet setting beyond the lunar horizon.
In the Earthset image, Earth appears upside-down; visible are Australia and Asia. A region near the moon's south pole is seen in the foreground.
The footage was taken Nov. 7 using equipment provided by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, or NHK.
The orbiter mission is run by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Its first high-definition videos of Earth were sent back last month. The mission objectives are to obtain scientific data on the origin and evolution of the moon and to develop the technology for future lunar exploration.
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