NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) takes a last look at the moon before heading off toward the red planet.

A crescent moon appears here in an image assembled from observations in the infrared, blue-green and red wavelengths of light. The snapshot was part of a camera test to shakedown the MRO spacecraft.

Mission scientists used MRO’s High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera to build this photograph during a set of observations conducted on Sept. 8, 2005. MRO was about six million miles (about 10 million kilometers) from the moon at the time. If the orbiter were equipped with human eyes instead of its high-powered camera, the moon would have appeared as little more than a star-like point of light, researchers said.

While all three images in the different wavelengths appear identical – a byproduct of the moon’s grey color – but additional processing should bring out subtle variations. The camera test verified that the HiRISE instrument was functioning properly, and also allowed researchers to check the orbiter’s Context Camera and Optical Navigation Camera, which performed as expected.

The MRO spacecraft is expected to enter orbit around Mars in March 2006 and begin science operations in November 2006.

-- SPACE.com Staff

Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.