What's this coming out of the moon?

[CarlJoseph]

Hi folks,

I help my digital camera up to the EP again last night and good a few half decent shots. One however looked a little odd (attached).

At the top left, it looks like a "wirey" piece is coming out from the side of the moon. I'm sure this is just a crater and it looks like this because of the shadows cast. I saw the exact same through the EP so it wasn't a camera artifact.

Anyway, this got me thinking, does anyone know of any good online maps of the moon? I would like to learn more about what I'm seeing exactly, the names of the various craters and features, etc.

Thanks,
Af.

[mithrandir]

The crater rim is illuminated, the floor isn't.

Virtual moon atlas - http://www.ap-i.net/avl/en/start - but you'll need rather a bit of disk space to download it all.

[jjjnettie]

Even the basic version of Virtual Moon Atlas is good.
Save disc space if you need to.

[Manav]

Crystal like moon its quite a sight and a nice photo too!

[iceman]

Nice work, a little overexposed but good effort.

[citivolus]

Some information on the area in question, from Virtual Moon Atlas:

SINUS IRIDUM

Type: Bay
Geological period: Upper Imbrian (From -3.8 billions years to -3.2 billions
years)

Size:
Dimension: 411x411Km / 242x157Mi
Height: ?
Height/Wide ratio: Unknown height. Impossible calculation.

Description:
Very large crater shaped formation of 237 000 km2.
Steep slopes constituted by North slopes of Montes Jura.
Walls constituted by Montes Jura gobbled to the South in the lava of Mare Imbrium.
Flat floor filled with lava and situated 600 m lower than Mare Imbrium.

Observation:
Interest : Exceptional formation
Observation period: 3 days after First Quarter or 2 days after Last Quarter
Minimal Instrument: 10x binoculars

Position:
Longitude: 32.0° West
Latitude: 45.0° North
Quadrant: North-West
Area: North-West part of Mare Imbrium

Atlas:
Rukl map: 10 Sinus Iridum
Viscardy page: 386
Hatfield map: 13d7
Westfall Atlas: 029N 036N 040N 048N 191N 201N 205N 213N
Charles Wood article: ST12/99 MM36 L100/014
Lunar Orbiter: IV-122-M IV-126-M IV-127-M IV-128-M IV-133-M IV-134-M
IV-138-M IV-139-H2 IV-139-M IV-140-M IV-144-M IV-145-H2 IV-145-M
IV-150-M IV-151-H2 IV-151-H3 IV-151-M IV-152-M IV-157-M IV-158-M
IV-163-M IV-170-M IV-175-M IV-183-M

Name Origine:
Detailed Name: Golfe des Iris
Name Author: Riccioli (1651)
Name by Langrenus: Sinus Geometricus
Name by Hevelius: Sinus Apollinis
Name by Riccioli: Sinus Iridum


-------

MONTES JURA

Type: Mountain
Geological period: Imbrian (From -3.85 billions years to -3.2 billions years) ?

Size:
Dimension: 0x0Km / 0x18Mi
Height: 6000m / 18200ft
Height/Wide ratio: 0

Description:
Mountainous North wall of Sinus Iridum. Composed of several parallel and
concentric summit lines.

Observation:
Interest : Exceptional formation
Observation period: 3 days after First Quarter or 2 days after Last Quarter
Minimal Instrument: 50 mm refractor

Position:
Longitude: 37.0° West
Latitude: 47.0° North
Quadrant: North-West
Area: North-West part of Mare Imbrium

Atlas:
Rukl map: 10 Sinus Iridum
Viscardy page: 386
Hatfield map: 6e5 / 8a6
Westfall Atlas: 029N 036N 040N 201N 205N 213N
Lunar Orbiter: IV-145-H2 IV-145-H3 IV-151-H2 IV-151-H3

Name Origine:
Detailed Name: Mounts of Jura
Name Author: (??)
Name by Langrenus: Not named
Name by Hevelius: Not named
Name by Riccioli: Not named

[citivolus]

Oh, and a bit closer up:

http://wms.selene.jaxa.jp/selene_viewer/en/observation_mission/hdtv/hdtv_041.html