NASA's ShadowCam, aboard KPLO, is gathering detailed images of the lunar South Pole, using earthshine and reflection of sunlight.
Among ShadowCam's first images from lunar orbit is a highly detailed image of the permanently shadowed wall and floor of Shackleton crater, which is located near the South Pole. ShadowCam's ability to operate in extremely low-light conditions enables such detailed images, and it is 200 times more sensitive than the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Narrow Angle Camera.
ShadowCam was designed primarily to capture images using secondary illumination from the Moon's geologic features. However, this picture suggests that it could potentially use earthshine to image Artemis astronauts walking on the Moon's surface during the lunar night. The shadow of the Aristarchus central peak in the image was formed by the earthshine created when the Earth was 35 degrees above the horizon.
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