Moon pictures show traces left by astronauts

High resolution pictures of the surface of the Moon released by Nasa four decades after the last astronauts touched down on its surface reveal footsteps, landing craters and other evidence of man's lunar explorations.

The images taken by the US space agency's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter are the sharpest photographs ever taken from space of the Apollo 12, 14 and 17 landing sites.

They reveal boot tracks left by walking astronauts, single lines, and lunar buggy trails from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Images also show where astronauts placed some of the scientific instruments that provided the first insight into the Moon's environment and interior.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is two years old, took photographs of lunar landing sites from 13 to 15 miles above the Moon's surface.

The pictures have been released following the closure of Nasa's 26-year-old space shuttle program which completed its last flight in July.

Click here or on the image above to see the pictures