Chinese scientists reported successfully operating on the lunar surface ultraviolet telescope mounted on the descent module of the Chang'e 3 mission, and demonstrated made lunar Observatory picture of the Pinwheel galaxy.

The results of the research, the authors published the article on arXiv.org and briefly about them tells New Scientist.

Telescope LUT (Lunar-based Ultraviolet telescope) within 18 months of working on the surface of the satellite. As the Moon revolves around the Earth in 27 days, the same area in the sky around some stars can be observed continuously up to 10 days. Just telescope Chang'e 3 over 2 thousand hours watching the 40 stars.

LUT before the satellite Land uses such ultraviolet telescope (part of the us manned mission Apollo 16). But LUT is considered to be 1 Observatory on the moon that can be remotely controlled from Earth. Researchers report that, despite the brutal conditions on the satellite, LUT overcame the planned year of work.

The task of the Chang'e 3 was launched on 1 December 2013 from the Xichang launch site and include the descent module and the Rover. The Chinese lander was the first in the last 37 years made a soft landing on the surface of the satellite. In early August 1976 did the Russian automatic interplanetary station "Luna-24".

After 14 earth days of work the Chinese Rover ceased to move, however to this day continues to collect data on the satellite. In 2017 China plans to launch to the moon a return device which will return to Earth samples of lunar soil. Prior to Chang'e 3 missions (1 and 2) were orbital. They helped assemble data for the construction of detailed maps of the moon.
sections: Society, World News