Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Apollo 17 at Shorty Crater

NASA ^ | June 24, 2012 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: In December of 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent about 75 hours on the Moon in the Taurus-Littrow valley, while colleague Ronald Evans orbited overhead. This sharp image was taken by Cernan as he and Schmitt roamed the valley floor. The image shows Schmitt on the left with the lunar rover at the edge of Shorty Crater, near the spot where geologist Schmitt discovered orange lunar soil. The Apollo 17 crew returned with 110 kilograms of rock and soil samples, more than was returned from any of the other lunar landing sites. Now forty years later, Cernan and Schmitt are still the last to walk on the Moon.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: Apollo 17 Crew, NASA]

[SunkenCiv]

Wowzo!

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[Windflier]

What an incredible photo. Fantastic.

[cynwoody]

Now forty years later, Cernan and Schmitt are still the last to walk on the Moon.

Which raises the question, who will be next?

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Nice post!

[cynwoody]

[gonzo]

Thanks, SunkenCiv. Always enjoy your Astronomy pics.

If you've got a ping list, I'd like to be added. Thanks ................................. FRegards

[TexasRepublic]

In those days I watched every moon walk live. In those heady days anything seemed possible. If someone then had said we would prematurely kill the moon program and not return for 40+ years, I never would have believed it. That no other country has been to the moon in 40 years shows how big a lead we had over the rest of the world. How the mighty have fallen!

[SunkenCiv]

The Chinese may be next — they will never be first — and they believe they will be next, but IMHO, they won’t be able to pull it off.

[SunkenCiv]

Must have been a pain to dig that deep a hole in that old studio in rural California where they filmed the fake moon landings. ;’)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[SunkenCiv]

In the “making of” extras on the Apollo 13 DVD, libtard Ron Howard quotes Dave Scott (who was a consultant on the film) as saying that he didn’t think anyone would go to the Moon again for a long time, maybe 100 years, and by that time everyone involved would be dead. I’d be surprised if there weren’t robotic explorers on the surface within five to ten years, up there prospecting.

[TheOldLady]

I think you’re right. But you always are anyway. [smiles]

[Windflier]

Must have been a pain to dig that deep a hole in that old studio in rural California where they filmed the fake moon landings. ;’)

Yeah. I wonder how much they paid for that huge black velvet backdrop? Musta cost a fortune! ;-)

[HenpeckedCon]

“The Chinese may be next — they will never be first — and they believe they will be next, but IMHO, they won’t be able to pull it off.”

I doubt the Chicoms will waste the huge amount of money it would require to put a man on the moon. Military spending would be a much more judicious way to allocate the money. Especially if FReepers stay at home and not vote for the Rino and 0bama gets another term to completely destroy the US military.

[SunkenCiv]

Well put.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

The current Chinese plan is to put a man on the moon by 2025.

They’re currently struggling to get their robotic landers to the moon.

Control of the moon would be an overwhelming military advantage.