USGS Astrogeology

USGS Astrogeology USGS Astrogeology has helped NASA explore the solar system by providing scientific and map-making expertise for more than 50 years. Posts do not = endorsement.

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🚀 Exciting times at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference this year!USGS Astrogeology just wrapped up another incre...
05/19/2026

🚀 Exciting times at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference this year!

USGS Astrogeology just wrapped up another incredible scientific conference where experts from around the globe gathered to share groundbreaking discoveries and ignite new ideas. From engaging presentations to networking opportunities, it’s all about pushing the boundaries of planetary science.

Lunar Mapping Program (LMAP) updates include new thermophysical and geomorphologic results and Planetary Geologic Mapping (PGM) updates are bringing increased accessibility with color vision deficient friendly color schemes. Software developments from our computer scientists include reaching users who are actively implementing our tools and providing new updates to the software to the community directly. Cutting-edge research in Mars and Moon exploration was also a hot topic - ever heard of Brain Terrain on Mars?

Check out the article linked below for more highlights and behind-the-scenes moments! 🌌✨

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/astrogeology-science-center/news/usgs-astrogeology-lpsc-2026-advancing-planetary-science

📸 Geographer Sonya Bogle, right, handing out maps, a hot commodity at LPSC.

05/04/2026

May the 4th Be with You!

It's not just science fiction, Planetary Defense at USGS is an active body of research, and protecting life and property is a core part of our mission at the Department of the Interior.

USGS Astrogeology has been researching hazards from space since the 1960s, and although we're not battling Star Destroyers, we'll do our best to inform you of rocky space invaders!

🎥: USGS Physical Scientist Dr. Lori Pigue explains past asteroid impacts and how the USGS is working to better understand potential hazards.

Happy Earth Day from our nearest neighbor, the Moon!USGS Astrogeology studies all the planets in our solar system, and t...
04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day from our nearest neighbor, the Moon!

USGS Astrogeology studies all the planets in our solar system, and that includes ours too! These photos show a few of the different ways we research Earth features and processes.
The now-famous "Earth Set" photo from Artemis II as taken from the Moon shows a new perspective of our home: a crescent-shaped planet from the lunar horizon. We may forget that Earth is a planet within our Solar System, but it's a teacher and a guide into the universe.

In the field of Terrestrial Analogs, we compare features on Earth to those on other planetary bodies to learn more about how they formed. We also use Earth as a training ground, like with the Artemis astronauts descending into Meteor Crater for training - where else would they learn about features they may encounter on other planets and moons?

We don't just use Earth as a model for the rest of the Solar System - we can learn so much about Earth from the Moon, other planets, and asteroids. The building blocks of our planet can be found in asteroids and our Moon is made of the same stuff - we can learn more about Earth by looking to the skies!

📸1: Earth Set" photo from Artemis II showing a crescent Earth setting over the lunar limb, image credit: NASA
📸2: Dark blue lakes on Saturn's moon, Titan, (top) from Cassini compared to The Great Lakes (bottom)
📸3: Artemis astronauts hiking below the rim of Meteor Crater during astronaut training with USGS Astrogeology, image credit: NASA
📸4: Image mosaic of the Near-Earth Asteroid, Eros. Image credit: NASA/JPL/JHUAPL

USGS Astrogeology: Where Dreams Take Flight 🚀Since its founding in 1963 to support the Apollo program, the USGS Astrogeo...
04/10/2026

USGS Astrogeology: Where Dreams Take Flight 🚀

Since its founding in 1963 to support the Apollo program, the USGS Astrogeology Science Center has provided scientific expertise, mapped the Moon, trained astronauts in field geology, and tested equipment in the rugged terrain of northern Arizona—and it continues this work today.

At the center of this effort was Gene Shoemaker (đź“· 1), who founded the Astrogeology Branch of the USGS and saw the Moon not as a distant light, but as a field site. He dreamed of bringing geology to the stars and building a powerhouse of planetary science, where cartographers would apply terrestrial mapping techniques to other worlds.

Alongside Shoemaker stood pioneers like Baerbel Lucchitta (đź“· 2), who transformed early satellite imagery into intricate tapestries of Martian and lunar geography, proving that a steady hand and a sharp eye could map worlds we had yet to touch. Lucchitta authored a map covering the north side of the Moon, created the first geologic maps of Europa, and served as coordinator of the Galilean Satellites Geologic Mapping Program.

Now that the torch passes once more, that legacy of “dreaming in stone” reaches a new milestone. With the selection of Lauren Edgar (📷 3) for astronaut training, the USGS legacy enters its next great act. Edgar represents the modern synthesis of everything that came before: she carries the vision of Gene Shoemaker and the trailblazing spirit of Apollo astronaut and former USGS scientist Harrison Schmitt.

Learn more about Astrogeology’s multigenerational legacy—and Harrison Schmitt’s rise 👉: https://ow.ly/8pFU50YFKYQ

📸1: Eugene Shoemaker, founder of Astrogeology, with a rocket pack
📸2: Astrogeology Scientist Baerbel Lucchitta in front of an image of Mars
📸3: Former Astrogeology scientist Lauren Edgar, now Artemis Astronaut Candidate

03/30/2026

The Moon, revealed through its geology. 🌗

Explore the Unified Geologic Map of the Moon! Created by USGS Astrogeology, in collaboration with NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other partners, this first-ever comprehensive map reveals the Moon’s entire surface geology, combining Apollo-era data with recent satellite missions.

It not only shows the 4.5-billion-year history of our lunar neighbor, but also serves as a key tool for future human missions and an invaluable resource for scientists, educators, and space enthusiasts.

Download the full map and legend👉https://ow.ly/UvmC50YAPyx

đź“ą: This animation shows a rotating globe of the Unified Geologic Map of the Moon with shaded topography from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA). Credit: NASA/GSFC/USGS.

Will we see you at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference this week? 🚀Find the USGS Astrogeology booth March 16 - 20...
03/15/2026

Will we see you at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference this week? 🚀

Find the USGS Astrogeology booth March 16 - 20 in The Woodlands, TX to see what’s new: explore our latest research, grab one of our fresh map releases, and check out updated fact sheets showcasing exciting developments. Whether you’re reconnecting or meeting us for the first time, visit our booth to discover the innovative products and services we offer.

What are you most excited to see at LPSC this year?

📸: Scientist Lori Pigue presenting at LPSC, 2018

Artemis II launches soon, and USGS Astrogeology has been there from the beginning!The Artemis missions are making progre...
02/27/2026

Artemis II launches soon, and USGS Astrogeology has been there from the beginning!

The Artemis missions are making progress back to the Moon, paving the way for human exploration of our closest celestial neighbor and on to Mars.

Artemis II is set to launch in the coming weeks, delivering humans farther into the Solar System than we’ve ever been! Although the four astronauts will not land on the Moon this time, we’re getting set up for future landings and beyond!

Learn more about USGS Astrogeology’s involvement in Artemis by clicking this link: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/astrogeology-science-center/news/artemis-ii-mission-returns-moon

📸: NASA astronaut Andre Douglas (backup Artemis II astronaut) raises an American flag next to NASA astronaut Kate Rubins (Expedition 48/49 and Expedition 63/64) during their first simulated moonwalk in a week-long field test in the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona on May 13, 2024. (Image credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel)

Happy Museum Selfie Day! Astrogeology has a few museum pieces and lots of displays to view if you find yourself in Flags...
01/21/2026

Happy Museum Selfie Day! Astrogeology has a few museum pieces and lots of displays to view if you find yourself in Flagstaff. Visit the link in our bio to schedule a tour, which are typically on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday at 10 am or by appointment.

Happy January! January is named for the Roman god, Janus, which is also the name for one of the moons of Saturn. Find im...
01/01/2026

Happy January! January is named for the Roman god, Janus, which is also the name for one of the moons of Saturn. Find images of the moon Janus on the USGS PILOT website: https://pilot.wr.usgs.gov/

in 1968, Apollo 8 launched. This would be the first crewed spacecraft to leave the influence of Earth and the first hu...
12/21/2025

in 1968, Apollo 8 launched. This would be the first crewed spacecraft to leave the influence of Earth and the first human spaceflight to orbit the Moon. From lunar orbit was our first Earthrise photo taken by a person. Did you know that every astronaut who walked on the Moon trained with us at Astrogeology?

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