New Comprehensive Geologic Map of the Moon Released
USGS Astrogeology training astronauts Meteor Crater
Close Up on Jezero Crater on Mars
Astrogeology Science Center
Our mission is to serve the Nation, the international planetary science community, and the public in pursuit of new knowledge of our solar system. The USGS Astrogeology Science Center is a national resource for the integration of planetary geoscience, cartography, and remote sensing.
News
Asteroid 2024 YR4 Possible Impact Raised Eyebrows: Skywatchers Continue Working as Guardians of Earth
Asteroid 2024 YR4 Possible Impact Raised Eyebrows: Skywatchers Continue Working as Guardians of Earth
Sols 4464-4465: Making Good Progress
Sols 4464-4465: Making Good Progress
Venus the Valentine Planet: What we love about Venus
Venus the Valentine Planet: What we love about Venus
Publications
Ageing of organic materials at the surface of Mars: A Raman study aboard Perseverance
The Perseverance rover is exploring Jezero crater on Mars, one of its goals being to collect samples to be returned to Earth to search for organic remains of ancient Martian life. However, the organic content of these rocks has likely suffered from the radiation environment on the surface of Mars to an extent yet to be quantified. For the first time, a 1000 sols long ageing experiment...
Lunar grid systems, coordinate systems, and map projections for the Artemis missions and lunar surface navigation
ForewardThis document contains design specifications of a navigational standard for the Moon, including a Lunar Transverse Mercator system, a Lunar Polar Stereographic system, a Lunar Grid Reference System, and a unique coordinate structure, Artemis Condensed Coordinates, for Artemis mission navigation and lunar surface science.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)...
Crater detection dependence on resolution, incidence angle, emission angle, and phase angle
Impact crater population detection and measurement is critical to understanding solar system bodies and dynamics. However, the ability to detect all possible craters under different lighting and camera geometries has not been systematically studied except in a few limited cases. This work presents the first systematic study examining crater detection based on resolution, incidence angle...
Science
Python Hyperspectral Analysis Tool (PyHAT)
The Python Hyperspectral Analysis Tool (PyHAT) provides access to data processing, analysis, and machine learning capabilities for spectroscopic applications. It includes a GUI so you can get straight to analyzing data without writing any code. Or, if you are comfortable writing code, PyHAT can be imported just like any other Python package.
Analysis Ready Data
Astrogeology is a world leader in developing and releasing analysis-ready planetary science data sets that are approachable and usable by anyone. We take care of all of the processing and provide data that "just work" so that users can focus on what interests them instead of getting stuck on data processing.
Planetary Volcanology
The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on planetary volcanology. Volcanism is a key part of the chemical and thermal evolution of planetary bodies, and volcanic eruptions are one of the fundamental processes that create and alter the surface of planetary bodies. We often study volcanoes on Earth in order to better understand eruptions across the Solar System, but we also bring...