--- title: Astonishing True Color Photos of the Moon description: The China National Space Administration has just released hundreds of never-before-seen high definition photos of the lunar surface canonical: https://time.com/4202591/moon-photos-true-color/ author: TIME Photo article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-02-01T22:12:03.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:00:30.213Z article:section: Science og:title: See Astonishing True Color Photos of the Moon og:description: Hundreds of never-before-seen photos of the lunar surface have now been released og:url: https://time.com/4202591/moon-photos-true-color/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaa7f6d6c3ee2510c/69887b952dce0105259e79a8/moon-color-photos-change-3-lander-yutu-rover-camera-011.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 2500 og:image:height: 1615 og:image:alt: moon-color-photos-Chang'e-3-lander-Yutu-rover-camera-01 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: See Astonishing True Color Photos of the Moon twitter:description: Hundreds of never-before-seen photos of the lunar surface have now been released twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaa7f6d6c3ee2510c/69887b952dce0105259e79a8/moon-color-photos-change-3-lander-yutu-rover-camera-011.jpg?branch=production ---  # See Astonishing True Color Photos of the Moon by [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Feb 1, 2016 10:12 PM UTC  Two images of Yutu captured by the Chang'e3 lander on Dec. 22, 2013. Two images of Yutu captured by the Chang'e3 lander on Dec. 22, 2013.The Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration by [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Feb 1, 2016 10:12 PM UTC We’re familiar with Spirit, [Opportunity](http://time.com/3757299/nasa-mars-rover-marathon/) and [Curiosity](http://time.com/3082834/mars-rover-2-years-photos/), the Mars rovers with cult followings. Now it’s time to meet Yutu, their Chinese sibling, which [landed on the Moon in 2013](http://techcrunch.com/2016/01/30/china-just-released-true-color-hd-photos-of-the-moon/). On Sunday, the China National Space Administration released hundreds of high-resolution, color images of the moon, offering an unprecedented look at our satellite. Yutu, which means Jade Rabbit, first arrived on the moon in December 2013 aboard China’s Chang’e3 lander. The spacecraft was the first to land there since the Soviets’ Luna 24 mission on Aug. 22, 1976. Unfortunately, two weeks after it was deployed, Yutu suffered technical difficulties. It’s been unable to move since then, but it has continued to transmit information, including these stunning images.  The Chang'e 3 lander captured the four images for this mosaic of the Yutu rover driving southward on Dec. 23, 2013. The Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration  Two images of Yutu captured by the Chang'e3 lander on Dec. 22, 2013. The Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration  Yutu took this photo of its own shadow on Jan. 12, 2014. The Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration  Yutu's wheels tracks in the lunar soil. The images for this mosaic were taken on Jan. 12, 2014. The Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration  This is a mosaic of six images captured by the Yutu rover on Jan. 13, 2014, after it had driven southwest of the lander to visit a large block of impact ejecta that the team named Long Yan (Pyramid Rock). The Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration  Part of a full 360-degree panorama taken by the Chang'e 3 lander on Dec. 17, 2013, three days after landing. The Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration  The Yutu rover took the images for this panorama on Jan. 13, 2014, during the rover's second lunar day on the surface, while close to "Pyramid Rock." 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