Lab Sample

S75-31691

Apollo sample 10044,59. Click a numbered marker or thumbnail to view a feature at full resolution.

Features

Overview

Rock typeIlmenite Basalt (low potassium), a fine-grained, dark volcanic rock rich in titanium-bearing minerals

Collection siteLunar surface, between the Eagle Lunar Module and a double elongated crater to its southwest

Collection dateJuly 21, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11

This imageS75-31691, generated inside the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, Houston, Texas. Captures a processing or cutting perspective of the rock for structural analysis.

Observations

Throughout this rock sample I observe extremely fine webbing, and in a couple of locations fine threads appear to be held in place along the rock. Thicker translucent and apparently luminescent threads emerge from tiny structures that are organic and coral-like in appearance, consistently showing this behaviour throughout the NASA samples.

Open question: Several features show blue-white and pink luminescence. It has not yet been verified whether NASA used UV light during this photography session. I can't find evidence that NASA reported lunar rocks showing strong, distinctive fluorescence under UV, and that is consistent with the mineralogy. Lunar rocks are made mainly of pyroxene, plagioclase, olivine, ilmenite and similar minerals, none of which are notable fluorescers. Lunar glass is present in the samples but isn't a composition that fluoresces visibly, its colours are intrinsic, and the trace uranium is far too low for uranium glass style glow. This reminds me of bioluminescence, but remains unresolved.

Free exploration

The full image without markers. Scroll or pinch to zoom, drag to move around, and look for anything the numbered features might be covering.

Scroll to zoom, drag to pan