The Lunar Orbiter Photographic Atlas of the Moon by Bowker and
Hughes (NASA SP-206) is considered the definitive reference manual to the
global photographic coverage of the Moon. The images contained within the
atlas are excellent for studying lunar morphology because they were obtained
at low to moderate Sun angles. The digital Lunar Orbiter Atlas of the Moon is
a reproduction of the 675 plates contained in Bowker and Hughes. The digital
archive, however, offers many improvements upon its original hardbound
predecessor. Multiple search
capabilities were added to the database to expedite locating images and
features of interest. For accuracy and usability, surface feature information
has been updated and improved. Lastly, to aid in feature identification, a
companion image containing feature annotation has been included. The symbols
on the annotated overlays, however, should only be used as locators and not
for precise measurements. More detailed information about the digital archive
process can be read in abstracts presented at the
30th and
31st
Lunar and Planetary Science Conferences.
For questions or comments about this dataset please contact
rpif@lpi.usra.edu.