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Astronomy Picture of the Day
<!doctype html> <html> <head> <title>Astronomy Picture of the Day </title> <!-- gsfc meta tags --> <meta name="orgcode" content="661"> <meta name="rno" content="amber.n.straughn"> <meta name="content-owner" content="Jerry.T.Bonnell.1"> <meta name="webmaster" content="michael.arida"> <meta name="description" content="A different astronomy and space science related image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation."> <!-- --> <meta name=viewport content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="keywords" content="apollo 17, regolith"> <!-- --> <script id="_fed_an_ua_tag" src="//dap.digitalgov.gov/Universal-Federated-Analytics-Min.js?agency=NASA"> </script> </head> <body BGCOLOR="#F4F4FF" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" vlink="#7F0F9F" alink="#FF0000"> <center> <h1> Astronomy Picture of the Day </h1> <p> <a href="archivepix.html">Discover the cosmos!</a> Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. <p> 2025 March 28 <br> <a href="image/2503/AS17-137-20979.jpg"> <IMG SRC="image/2503/AS17-137-20979_1024.jpg" alt="See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available." style="max-width:100%"></a> </center> <center> <b> Lunar Dust and Duct Tape </b> <br> <b>Image Credit: </b> <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo-17">Apollo 17</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> </center> <p> <b> Explanation: </b> <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/dust-an-out-of-this-world-problem/">Why is the Moon so dusty?</a> On Earth, rocks are weathered by wind and water, creating soil and sand. On the Moon, eons of constant micrometeorite bombardment have blasted away at the rocky surface creating a layer of powdery <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_soil">lunar soil or regolith</a>. For the Apollo astronauts and their equipment, the pervasive, fine, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/clps/electrodynamic-dust-shield-heading-to-moon-on-firefly-lander/">gritty dust</a> was definitely a problem</a>. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-apollo-17-lands-at-taurus-littrow">On the lunar surface</a> in December 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan needed to <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/static/history/alsj/a17/a17v.1185833.mpg">repair</a> one of their rover's fenders in an effort to keep the rooster tails of dust away from themselves and their gear. This picture reveals the wheel and fender of their dust covered rover along with the ingenious application of spare maps, clamps, and a grey strip of "duct tape". <p> <center> <b> Northern Hemisphere Alert :</b> <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/mar-29-2025-eclipse/">March 29 Partial Solar Eclipse</a> </br> <b> Tomorrow's picture: </b>pixels in space <p> <hr> <a href="ap250327.html"><</a> | <a href="archivepix.html">Archive</a> | <a href="lib/apsubmit2015.html">Submissions</a> | <a href="lib/aptree.html">Index</a> | <a href="https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search">Search</a> | <a href="calendar/allyears.html">Calendar</a> | <a href="/apod.rss">RSS</a> | <a href="lib/edlinks.html">Education</a> | <a href="lib/about_apod.html">About APOD</a> | <a href="http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250328">Discuss</a> | <a href="ap250329.html">></a> <hr><p> <b> Authors & editors: </b> <a href="http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html">Robert Nemiroff</a> (<a href="http://www.phy.mtu.edu/">MTU</a>) & <a href="https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html" >Jerry Bonnell</a> (<a href="http://www.astro.umd.edu/">UMCP</a>)<br> <b>NASA Official: </b> Amber Straughn <a href="lib/about_apod.html#srapply">Specific rights apply</a>.<br> <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html">NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices</a><br> <b>A service of:</b> <a href="https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/">ASD</a> at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> / <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/">GSFC</a>, <br> <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/learners">NASA Science Activation</a> <br><b>&</b> <a href="http://www.mtu.edu/">Michigan Tech. U.</a><br> </center> </body> </html>