August 29, 2004

X Marks the Spot

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Image Credit: Carol Lakomiak

X Marks the Spot Cruising the terminator is how to see the most dramatic Moon views. Usually they are on the lit side, but it is always exciting to see a lone tall peak catching the morning rays before the surrounding terrain has become illuminated. Earlier this summer Carol Lakomiak observed at just the right moment to see entire ridges, which cross to form an X, illuminated in the lunar pre-dawn darkness. Here is Carol's description of what forms the arms of the X: "One arm extends up from Werner, and I 'think' the two little white blips to the left of Werner are the eastern walls of Werner A and a small crater below it. The bottom of that same arm looks like it begins on the very southeastern edge of Werner H and extends to the northwest till it hits the southwestern edge of Purbach H. The other arm of the X, which runs SW-NEl, looks like it begins on the southeast edge of Purbach, with the end of it being the actual border between la Caille and Blanchinus. Just to the inside of the lower left section of the X, there's another little blip of light.. I think it might be the sunlit western edge of Werner B." — Chuck Wood Technical Details: June 24th, 2004, single image; Nikon CP4300; 8"SCT at 203x. Related Links: CLA image of this area illuminated Rukl Atlas of the Moon Sheet 55 Tomorrow's LPOD: Are Central Peaks Volcanoes?

Author & Editor: Charles A. Wood Technical Consultant: Anthony Ayiomamitis A service of: ObservingTheSky.Org Visit these other PODs: Astronomy | Mars | Earth

 

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