The Kaguya lunar atlas

the long version

This volume presents a "gallery" or collection of unique portraits of the moon. The 100 detailed photographs are presented in a standard format as wide angle, low perspective views of a single feature or geographical complex, assembled from many separate lunar orbiter photos taken in high definition video. In late 2007, the Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) placed the Kaguya/ Selene spacecraft in orbit around the Moon to probe the Moon's surface and interior. But unlike previous lunar orbiters, Kaguya carries a high definition television camera (HDTV) sent beyond Earth orbit. The output shows the Moon as it would be seen by an astronaut looking through a porthole window while orbiting only 100 km above the lunar surface.