Today, the Observer team released an image that trialed a detailed map of the Mun. In recognition that a Mun landing with a probe might happen this year, the team set to work on taking close-up images of the Mun's surface for suitable landing sites. They then pieced these images together like jigsaw puzzle to create a large and detailed map.
'It wasn't a complete success,' said one of the projects leaders. 'There are several gaps in the mosaic. But by the time Observer was back into position to retake the areas we missed, everything was so out of alignment it just didn't work. We have to be quick with this kind of imagery, because everything is moving so fast up there. As it was just a test it wasn't vital to get it right this time, though. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work. Once the polar studies are completed, we will move Observer to a higher orbit and then do a much more thorough job.'
Below is the work produced by the Observer team. It was made up of 38 separate images and shows finer detail of the cratered surface than other images produced from the probe.
The Mun Mosaic
A single-shot image from Observer to show the detail difference. The smaller craters are not visible using this method of imagery
There is speculation that the KSP staff have left out the blank areas on purpose to conceal objects they have found on the Mun. Objects that they don't want the public to see.
One skeptic commented:
'It's obvious that there is stuff on there they don't want the public to know about. How could they miss an entire equatorial plane with their telescope?'
KSP staff simply laughed at the claims, calling them 'complete rubbish'. The mosaic images were captured in very quick succession and they commented saying:
'We're just surprised we didn't miss more!'
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