NASA Photo ID: S69-63443           File Name: 10075445.jpg
Film Type: 35mm                    Date Taken: 12/16/69
Title: Thin section of rock brought back to earth by Apollo 12 mission
Description:
A photomicrographic of a thin section of one of the rocks brought back to 
earth by Apollo 12 lunar landing mission, revealing the mineralogy of the 
rock. Relatively large enuant crystals are visible. This texture, termed 
porphyritic, suggests differing rates of growth of the large crystals
versus  the groundmoss minerals. The large crystals are olivine and the
groundmoss  minerals are pyrexenes, feldspar and metal compounds - minerals
which make up  the bulk of the Apollo 12 rocks. The large crystals are
approximately one  millimeter across. The texture and the mineralogy are
both common in volcanic  rocks.             

Subject terms:
APOLLO 12 FLIGHT                        
APOLLO PROJECT                          
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER                    
LABORATORIES                            
LUNAR COMPOSITION                       
LUNAR GEOLOGY                           
LUNAR ROCKS                             
PHOTOMICROGRAPHS                        
SAMPLES                                 
TEXAS                                   

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