First image of the Moon taken by a U.S. spacecraft Target Name:   Moon Spacecraft:   Ranger 7 Produced by:   NASA Copyright:  NASA Copyright Free Policy Cross Reference:   Ranger 7 B001 Date Taken:   31 July 1964

• The Moon
• Ranger 7

Ranger 7 took this image, the first picture of the Moon by a U.S. spacecraft, on 31 July 1964 at 13:09 UT (9:09 AM EDT) about 17 minutes before impacting the lunar surface. The area photographed is centered at 13 S, 10 W and covers about 360 km from top to bottom. The large crater at center right is the 108 km diameter Alphonsus. Above it is Ptolemaeus and below it Arzachel. The terminator is at the bottom right corner. Mare Nubium is at center and left. North is at about 11:00 at the center of the frame. The Ranger 7 impact site is off the frame, to the left of the upper left corner.

Location & Time Information
Date/Time (UT): 1964-07-31 T 13:08:44.90
Distance/Range (km): 2445.97
Central Latitude/Longitude (deg): -13.09,350.37
Orbit(s): Impact - Hard Landing

Imaging Information
Area or Feature Type: crater, mare
Instrument: Vidicon Camera B
Instrument Resolution (pixels): 1150 x 1150
Instrument Field of View (deg): 8.4 x 8.4
Filter: none
Illumination Incidence Angle (deg): 78.3
Phase Angle (deg): 33.9
Instrument Look Direction: N/A
Surface Emission Angle (deg): 47.0