# Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2019 April 1

Astronaut Kicks Lunar Field Goal
Image Credit: NASA, Apollo 15 Team

Explanation: Score three points for NASA. With time running out late in Apollo 15's mission to the Moon in 1971, Astronaut David Scott prepared to split the uprights and bring about yet another dramatic end-of-the-mission victory for NASA. Scott used a special lunar football designed for the rugged games held on the Moon. R1-D1, a predecessor to R2-D2, cheered from the sideline. Happy April Fools' Day from the folks at APOD. In reality, Astronaut Scott placed a drill that measured how temperature changed with lunar depth. The foreground device actually detected high-energy particles that escaped from the Sun.

No Joke: NASA Plans to Return to the Moon in the Next Five Years
Tomorrow's picture: freeze frame ISS

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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