NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) recently captured intriguing images of an object resembling a surfboard as it swiftly traversed past the moon. However, this surfboard-shaped object wasn’t a UFO or an extraterrestrial construct but rather South Korea’s lunar orbiter, Danuri. The close encounter occurred due to the nearly parallel orbits of the two spacecraft, allowing LRO’s operations team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center to seize the opportunity and photograph the event between March 5 and 6.
Despite the challenging conditions, LRO’s camera, with its incredibly short exposure time of about 0.338 milliseconds, managed to capture images of Danuri. This lunar orbiter, which successfully entered lunar orbit in December 2022, is the first Korean spacecraft to achieve this feat. However, due to the substantial speed difference between LRO and Danuri—approximately 7,200 mph (11,500 km/h)—the resulting image displayed Danuri as “smeared to 10 times its size,” giving it a flat surfboard-like appearance.
In reality, Danuri’s actual structure is far from a surfboard; it features a box-shaped design with solar panels attached to each side. Paul Byrne, an associate professor of planetary science at Washington University in St. Louis, shared some of the images on social media, clarifying that Danuri is not an unusually thin entity but rather appears distorted due to the camera’s detection of its high-speed movement.
Interestingly, the surfboard resemblance sparked comparisons to the Silver Surfer, a fictional character from the Marvel Universe, highlighting the imaginative connections people draw from such visuals. Despite the visual distortions caused by the spacecraft’s speed, the images serve as a testament to the advanced technology and precision involved in space exploration and photography.
Jennifer Nalewicki, a seasoned journalist covering various science topics, including space exploration and discoveries, has contributed insights into this captivating event. Her expertise in communicating complex scientific phenomena to the public adds depth to the understanding of such remarkable occurrences in space exploration.