Artemis astronauts, here’s your Moon-observing assignment 👀

This custom science plan is fine-tuned for the exact lighting conditions on the Moon’s surface when the Artemis II crew flies by, and for their viewing angle as they’re hurtling through space. ️

Above is a screenshot of the actual Lunar Targeting Plan that the Artemis II mission will use for the April 6 flyby. The targets are prioritized based on both their science value and their visibility at the time of observation.

As the astronauts approach the Moon, most of the lunar nearside will be illuminated – a shared view with observers on Earth. When they’re all the way on the other side of the Moon, they’ll see a waxing crescent: 20% of the lunar farside will be sunlit, and 80% will be dark.

The Lunar Targeting Plan is focused on the sunlit parts of the surface, but the night side of the Moon offers unique science opportunities, too. The astronauts will look for bursts of light created when space debris slams into the Moon’s surface, a.k.a. “impact flashes”.

They’ll keep their eyes out for dust lofted above the lunar horizon and backlit by the Sun. And on top of all that, they’ll experience a total solar eclipse lasting almost an hour