The Moon is the topic of February astronomy lecture

Mark Robinson, professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, will talk about our closest neighbor – the Moon – as part of ASU’s Astronomy Public Lecture Series.

The lecture titled “Exploring the Moon with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera,” will be held at 7 p.m., Feb. 8, in the Marston Exploration Theatre.

The Moon is our closest neighbor, and returning with humans is the next logical step as we leave the Earth and explore the Solar System. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), which has been orbiting the Moon since 2009, is leading our way back by imaging the Moon at scales ranging from 25-centimeters to 100 meters.

Robinson is the principal investigator for the camera. He and his team oversee the LROC Science Operations Center at Arizona State University’s Tempe campus.

Robinson will discuss volcanoes, impact craters, tectonic features, resources, human artifacts, and more. Come find out what is new and exciting just 250,000 miles away.

After the lecture, explore the new interactive displays in Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV (ISTB 4), which is located at the corner of McAllister and Terrace on the Tempe campus.  Students will be around to answer questions about astronomy and the exhibits.

The ASU Astronomy Public Lecture Series, created by the astronomy graduate students, in conjunction with the ASU Astronomy Club occurs once a month. The next Earth & Space Astronomy Open House will be held from 8 to 10 p.m., Feb. 22. The School of Earth and Space Exploration is an academic unit of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

For more information, please go to: http://astopenhouse.com/2012/01/astronomy-public-lecture-series/. Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/126082604229497/?ref=ts&fref=ts. SESE Public Lecture Page: http://sese.asu.edu/content/astronomy-public-lecture