WASHINGTON — The Smithsonian has opened a new exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum featuring the highest-resolution photos of the moon that have ever been taken in orbit.

“A New Moon Rises: New Views from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera” opened Friday at the museum in D.C. and it runs through December.

“Most people do not realize that the moon is still a very active place, and that it has breathtaking landscapes that are both familiar and alien,” said Tom Watters, a scientist who has been working on the project.

The photos were taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which NASA launched in 2009 to gather data on the moon.

The show includes 61 large prints showing everything from Apollo landing sites to mountains that rise out of the darkness.