{"id":14743,"date":"2025-12-16T12:03:05","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T16:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/nasas-carruthers-geocorona-observatory-reveals-first-light-images\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T12:03:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T16:03:05","slug":"nasas-carruthers-geocorona-observatory-reveals-first-light-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/nasas-carruthers-geocorona-observatory-reveals-first-light-images\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory Reveals \u2018First Light\u2019 Images"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA\u2019s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory Reveals \u2018First Light\u2019 Images<\/h2>\n

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3 min read<\/p>\n

NASA\u2019s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory Reveals \u2018First Light\u2019 Images<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NASA\u2019s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory has captured its first images from space, revealing rare views of Earth and the Moon in ultraviolet light. Taken on Nov. 17 \u2014 still months before the mission\u2019s science phase begins \u2014 these \u201cfirst light\u201d images confirm the spacecraft is healthy while hinting at the incredible views to come.<\/p>\n

The initial images consist of two from Carruthers\u2019 Wide Field Imager and two from its Narrow Field Imager. Each imager captured two different views: one showing a broad spectrum of far ultraviolet light, and one revealing light from Earth\u2019s geocorona.<\/p>\n

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\"Comparison<\/a><\/figure>
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These four images constitute the \u201cfirst light\u201d for the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory mission. The images were taken on Nov. 17, 2025, from a location near the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 1 by the spacecraft\u2019s Wide Field Imager (left column) and Narrow Field Imager (right column) in far ultraviolet light (top row) and the specific wavelength of light emitted by atomic hydrogen known as Lyman-alpha (bottom row). Earth is the larger, bright circle near the middle of each image; the Moon is the smaller circle below and to the left of it. The fuzzy \u201chalo\u201d around Earth in the images in the bottom row is the geocorona: the ultraviolet light emitted by Earth\u2019s exosphere, or outermost atmospheric layer. The lunar surface still shines in Lyman-alpha because its rocky surface reflects all wavelengths of sunlight \u2014 one reason it is important to compare Lyman-alpha images with the broad ultraviolet filter. The far ultraviolet light imagery from the Narrow Field Imagery also captured two background stars, whose surface temperatures must be approximately twice as hot as the our Sun\u2019s to be so bright in this wavelength of light.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Carruthers Geocorona Observatory<\/em><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When Carruthers captured these images, the Moon was also in its field of view and slightly closer to the spacecraft than Earth was, making the Moon appear larger and closer to Earth than usual.<\/p>\n

The specific wavelength Carruthers observed in two of the images, called Lyman-alpha, is light emitted by atomic hydrogen. The faint glow of Lyman-alpha from hydrogen in Earth\u2019s outer atmosphere is called the \u201cgeocorona,\u201d Latin for \u201cEarth crown.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the broad-spectrum images, the Moon and Earth look similar: both are spheres with well-defined edges. However, in the Lyman-alpha filter, the Moon still appears as a crisp, sharp sphere while Earth appears surrounded by a bright \u201cfuzz\u201d extending out to space. This glow is the geocorona, the primary focus of the Carruthers mission. It is the only way to \u201csee\u201d Earth\u2019s outermost atmospheric layer, although the light of the geocorona has only been photographed a handful of times in history. Carruthers will be the first mission to image it repeatedly, and from far enough away to see its great extent and discover how it changes over time.<\/p>\n

These first images also offer a rare treat: sunlight reflected off the far side of the Moon, a view impossible to capture from Earth.<\/p>\n

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