Video and images of 'sunset' on the Moon

(CLO) Scientists are analyzing new images to study the phenomenon of "lunar horizon light", which was first recorded in 1972.

NASA has released the first high-definition images of a lunar sunset, taken by the private Blue Ghost lander. The two stunning images may provide further clues to the mysterious phenomenon of "lunar horizon glow".

The images were released at a press conference at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on Tuesday, marking the end of a 14-day mission carried out by NASA in partnership with Texas company Firefly Aerospace.

Lunar horizon light, captured by the Blue Ghost lander. (Image: Nasa/Firefly Aerospace)

The Blue Ghost lander touched down on March 2 near Mons Latreille, a volcanic massif in Mare Crisium on the moon’s northeast side. It is part of NASA’s $2.6 billion investment in commercial operators to cut costs and support the Artemis program to send humans to the moon by 2027.

Two images taken to the west show the spread of light along the lunar horizon as the Sun is half-set, with Earth and Venus visible.

"These are the first high-definition images of the sun setting and disappearing below the horizon," said Joel Kearns, associate administrator for exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

"These images are not only beautiful but also have great scientific value. Experts are actively researching and comparing with previous data to find new conclusions," Mr. Kearns added.

Additionally, Blue Ghost also captured high-definition images of the March 14 total solar eclipse, when the Earth blocked out the Sun from the perspective of the Moon.

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The phenomenon of "lunar horizon glow" was first observed by astronaut Eugene Cernan during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Studies suggest that the phenomenon is caused by tiny dust particles in the thin atmosphere of the Moon reflecting light as the Sun rises and sets. Some other theories suggest that these dust particles are floating in space.

The Blue Ghost spacecraft launched on January 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon rocket, completing a 2.8 million-mile journey. It carried a variety of scientific instruments, including a lunar soil analyzer, a radiation-resistant computer, and an experiment to test the ability to use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to navigate on the moon.

“Firefly Aerospace is proud to have successfully completed the first commercial landing on the Moon,” said Jason Kim, CEO of the company. “The historic mission of Firefly and Blue Ghost will open a new chapter in space exploration and symbolize the limitless potential of humanity.”

Ha Trang (according to NASA, Firefly Aerospace, The Guardian)