Kurdish astrophotographer Darya Kawa Mirza has taken the most advanced image of the moon ever taken, revealing unprecedented details of the surface. The image, which took four days of continuous observation and shooting, shows the moon’s topography in astonishing clarity and detail, revealing features that have probably never been seen before.
Mr Mirza’s photo, which he described as the “cleanest and sharpest moon image” he has ever captured, is the result of four days of continuous observation and shooting. The final image is an astonishing 159.7 megapixels and has a file size of 708 gigabytes, created by stacking more than 81,000 individual images.
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The photographer revealed some interesting facts about the photo in a post on Instagram.
- Image size: 708 GB
- Images collected: over 81,000
- Composition: Merging four different moon phases and shadow areas to reveal detailed topography
- Telescope used: Skywatcher Flextube 250P Dobsonian Equatorial Mount Modified on NEQ 6pro
- Cameras used: Canon EOS 1200D (for minerals), ZWO ASI 178mc (for detailing)
- AI involvement: None
- Image resolution: 159.7 megapixels
- Visual representation: Depicts the Moon as a flat disk with detailed topography
The photo was posted on Reddit, where it sparked a lively discussion among enthusiasts. One user questioned whether the colors in the image represent actual metals and minerals on the moon. A user clarified that the colors in the image are not what the human eye can see naturally.
“Saturation has been enhanced to highlight geological differences across the lunar surface,” he explained. “Areas of red indicate higher iron and feldspar content, while areas of blue indicate higher titanium content. Rather than viewing the colors as ‘real’ or ‘fake,’ it is more accurate to regard them as a tool that simulates what we might see with enhanced detection capabilities.”
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From discussion byu/daryavaseum
InSpace
Another user explained simply, prompting us to “think like someone who is colour-blind”. Colour-blind people cannot see certain colours, such as red and green. To them, these colours may appear as shades of grey or be so faded that they look the same. The colours are present, but they cannot see them because their eyes are not sensitive enough. Similarly, the colours in Darya Mirza’s photo of the moon are real, but our eyes may not be sensitive enough to recognise them in their natural state. The enhancements made to the photo make these colours more apparent.
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From discussion byu/daryavaseum
InSpace
Earlier, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, who has been living aboard the International Space Station for nearly four months, captured a stunning photo of the moon setting over the Pacific Ocean.
