Incredible: Stunning Detailed Image of Moon Captured by Astrophotographers

The Moon has remained a topic of fascination for scientists, astronomers and common people alike. Days before the launch of NASA’s Artemis 1 mission to the moon, a picture of the lunar body has gone viral on social media that is making us adore its beauty even more. Astrophotographers Andrew McCarthy and Connor Matherne captured over 2,00,000 images of the Moon and combined them together using a technique known as ‘photo-stitching’. The result was an incredibly detailed and colourful image of the celestial body.

The two astrophotographers took it to Instagram on Saturday to share their stunning creation. According to their posts, they collaborated with each other on this project two years ago. Matherne wrote that they decided to outdo their old moon shot with an even better one.

McCarthy called their 174-megapixel shot, ‘the most ridiculously detailed moon image’ that they could come up with. On the same lines, Matherne also said that this is the highest resolution shot of the moon that he has ever taken.

“I captured the color data while Andrew McCarthy captured the details. Combined, we ended up with an incredibly detailed photo of our lunar neighbor in stunning color,” Matherne posted.

McCarthy termed the image “The Hunt for Artemis” calling it a “collaborative tribute to the imminent Artemis 1 mission.” Speaking about the moon mission, he wrote, “In 9 days, a human-rated lunar rocket will launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida, demonstrating our capability for manned lunar missions for the first time in 50 years.”

The netizens were left astonished by the image. “Who would have thought the moon had all these shades of colors. It always appeared grey or white in previous pictures until now! This is amazing work,” commented a user.

In a conversation with the National Public Radio of America, McCarthy said, “When he (Matherne) and I put our heads together we were able to make something a little off brand for both of us, which is cool. The whole thing is assembled like a mosaic, and each tile is made up of thousands of photos.”

Matherne also talked about the collaboration in his social media post, “I always love getting a chance to collaborate with great friends, and I can’t wait to see what we come up with next.”

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