Evening all,
Sinus Iridum, the Bay of Rainbows, is by far the most beautiful and fitting name of a lunar feature, the “bight” recalling a rainbow arc. The two promontories, Heraclides and Laplace, named for Heraclides Pontica (390-310 BC) the first to identify the earth actually spins on an axis and also possibly the first Heliocentric proponent, and Pierre Simon Laplace (1749-
1827) all round genius who, when he looked skyward, developed the nebula theory of the Solar System’s origin and made the some of the first ruminations about the existence of Black Holes.
Way up North over the Mare Frigoris (The Sea of Cold) is crater Pythagoras, classical Greek mathematician and mystic who is best remembered for the theorem of right triangles attributed to him; there is some speculation lately that Pythagoras may not be one person but a “collection” of different people and ideas.
J Herschel, named for John (1792-1871), son of William and remembered for his organisation of astronomy – The Royal Astronomical Society in particular - and his extensive observational work especially on double stars.
South east of Sinus Iridum is the small, unassuming crater, C. Herschel, named for John’s aunty, Caroline (1750-1848). Steadfast assistant of William, recording carefully all his observations and organising them long after William’s death, Caroline is the first woman to receive the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society – although, of course, she could never actually be a member of the society – being a mere woman and all; the grandees did award her with an honorary membership. All this work from a woman who was considered by her family to be too fragile
to do more than be a housekeeper and whom William felt an obligation to “look after”.
Finally, and for no other reason than its beautiful name, Sinus Roris, the Bay of Dew, lies north east of its big sister, Iridum.
ZWO 178mm camera, Celestron 9.25" telescope. Approx. 2,000 frames stacked in Autostakkert!3 and sharpened in Registax.
