Astronomy Picture of the Day - De Gerlache-Kocher Massif

NASA ^ | 7 Nov. 2026 | Credit: Alejandro Sanz

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: De Gerlache-Kocher massif looms on the visible horizon in this close-up of the edge of the Moon. The mountainous formation rises about 4 kilometers above its surroundings and is located very close to the lunar south pole. Boasting permanently shadowed crater floors that likely contain deposits of water ice and peaks that receive almost continuous sunlight for solar power generation, the south polar region is considered a prime location for the first human settlement on the Moon. In fact, De Gerlache-Kocher massif itself has been considered as a potential landing site for future crewed Artemis missions to the Moon. The remarkable telescopic image of the massif at the lunar limb was captured on October 31. Then, a favorable libration angle or lunar wobble enhanced this oblique view across the Moon's south pole.

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TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

[MtnClimber]

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[Miami Rebel]

Magnificent! That is so exciting.

I imagine in my grandchildren’s lifetimes we’ll have on-the-ground exploration on the massif.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"Boasting permanently shadowed crater floors that likely contain deposits of water ice and peaks that receive almost continuous sunlight for solar power generation, the south polar region is considered a prime location for the first human settlement on the Moon."

If we're living at the South Pole on the Moon, won't we be hanging upside down all the time? ;)

Yeah, whatever. I'm still waiting for my flying car and my bio-dome home! Stop lying to me Popular Mechanics!

And I still want Earth to have TWO Moons...that are ridiculously too CLOSE to us! Yikes!

/Rant :)

[telescope115]

I hope this happens in my lifetime. How incredibly awesome it would be to watch this mission in real time! And I absolutely love those high magnification photos!

[No name given]

Cool.