Difference between revisions of "October 18, 2011"

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=Less of a Mystery?=
 
=Less of a Mystery?=
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<em>image by [mailto:bart.declercq@gmail.com Bart Declercq]</em><br />
 
<em>image by [mailto:bart.declercq@gmail.com Bart Declercq]</em><br />
 
<br />
 
<br />
A few days ago [http://lpod.wikispaces.com/October+13%2C+2011 LPOD] featured a relatively high Sun view of a suspiciously circular feature (SCF) in southern Mare Serenitatis.<br />
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A few days ago [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/October_13,_2011 LPOD] featured a relatively high Sun view of a suspiciously circular feature (SCF) in southern Mare Serenitatis.
The question was if the feature (in the center of this image) was a buried impact crater. Bart and a few others have sent images<br />
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The question was if the feature (in the center of this image) was a buried impact crater. Bart and a few others have sent images
with better illumination. Here is what Bart says: <em>As far as I can tell from my images, part</em> <em>of the &quot;rim&quot; of this ghost crater seems</em><br />
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with better illumination. Here is what Bart says: <em>As far as I can tell from my images, part</em> <em>of the &quot;rim&quot; of this ghost crater seems</em>
<em>to be formed by a coincidental string of small impact craters, two</em> <em>other</em> <em>parts by ripples in the mare lava. The central &quot;peak&quot; is</em><br />
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<em>to be formed by a coincidental string of small impact craters, two</em> <em>other</em> <em>parts by ripples in the mare lava. The central &quot;peak&quot; is</em>
<em>just a flat white spot (perhaps a couple of craters too</em> <em>small to resolve individually and young enough to have bright ejecta</em> <em>blankets.</em><br />
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<em>just a flat white spot (perhaps a couple of craters too</em> <em>small to resolve individually and young enough to have bright ejecta</em> <em>blankets.</em>
<em>In all, it's probably more a</em> <em>testament to the human ability to see patterns everywhere than a real ghost crater (a pity, would have</em><br />
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<em>In all, it's probably more a</em> <em>testament to the human ability to see patterns everywhere than a real ghost crater (a pity, would have</em>
<em>been</em> <em>quite cool to find such a large unknown feature on the Moon!)</em> That is the most likely explanation but not the most satisfying.<br />
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<em>been</em> <em>quite cool to find such a large unknown feature on the Moon!)</em> That is the most likely explanation but not the most satisfying.
The SCF does break the trend of the shore-following mare ridges, which is consistent with a crater having deformed the direction<br />
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The SCF does break the trend of the shore-following mare ridges, which is consistent with a crater having deformed the direction
of the later-formed ridges. LRO's [http://target.lroc.asu.edu/da/qmap.html Quick Map] shows a small shadow casting feature at the SCF's center which could be a hill that<br />
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of the later-formed ridges. LRO's [http://target.lroc.asu.edu/da/qmap.html Quick Map] shows a small shadow casting feature at the SCF's center which could be a hill that
is the unburied top of a central peak. (Or maybe not, there is no NAC image of that area). Finally, there does seem to be a hint of<br />
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is the unburied top of a central peak. (Or maybe not, there is no NAC image of that area). Finally, there does seem to be a hint of
a curved ridge on the west (left) side that completes the rim, and is not part of the main mare ridges. I think Bart's interpretation is<br />
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a curved ridge on the west (left) side that completes the rim, and is not part of the main mare ridges. I think Bart's interpretation is
probably right, but it would be more interesting if it isn't.<br />
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probably right, but it would be more interesting if it isn't.
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<em>[mailto:tychocrater@yahoo.com Chuck Wood]</em><br />
 
<em>[mailto:tychocrater@yahoo.com Chuck Wood]</em><br />
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<strong>Related Links</strong><br />
 
<strong>Related Links</strong><br />
Rükl plate [http://the-moon.wikispaces.com/R%C3%BCkl+24 24]<br />
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Rükl plate [https://the-moon.us/wiki/R%C3%BCkl_24 24]<br />
 
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<p><b>Yesterday's LPOD:</b> [[October 17, 2011|FFC]] </p>
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<p><b>Tomorrow's LPOD:</b> [[October 19, 2011|Little Yellow Lines]] </p>
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Latest revision as of 08:35, 28 October 2018

Less of a Mystery?

LPOD-Oct18-11.jpg
image by Bart Declercq

A few days ago LPOD featured a relatively high Sun view of a suspiciously circular feature (SCF) in southern Mare Serenitatis. The question was if the feature (in the center of this image) was a buried impact crater. Bart and a few others have sent images with better illumination. Here is what Bart says: As far as I can tell from my images, part of the "rim" of this ghost crater seems to be formed by a coincidental string of small impact craters, two other parts by ripples in the mare lava. The central "peak" is just a flat white spot (perhaps a couple of craters too small to resolve individually and young enough to have bright ejecta blankets. In all, it's probably more a testament to the human ability to see patterns everywhere than a real ghost crater (a pity, would have been quite cool to find such a large unknown feature on the Moon!) That is the most likely explanation but not the most satisfying. The SCF does break the trend of the shore-following mare ridges, which is consistent with a crater having deformed the direction of the later-formed ridges. LRO's Quick Map shows a small shadow casting feature at the SCF's center which could be a hill that is the unburied top of a central peak. (Or maybe not, there is no NAC image of that area). Finally, there does seem to be a hint of a curved ridge on the west (left) side that completes the rim, and is not part of the main mare ridges. I think Bart's interpretation is probably right, but it would be more interesting if it isn't.

Chuck Wood

Technical Details
30cm Orion Optics Newtonian telescope and Basler Ace a1300 camera (1296x966 resolution) and an Astronomik Red filter - image
scale is about 0.15"/pixel.

Related Links
Rükl plate 24


Yesterday's LPOD: FFC

Tomorrow's LPOD: Little Yellow Lines


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