April 24, 2022
Shades of Brightness
Originally published June 9, 2012
image by Patricio Dominguez Alonso, Madrid, Spain
Most of this image shows maria. And most maria are not as dark as we think. If processed normally the mare area west of Kepler is smooth and darkish. But enhancing the dark areas demonstrates that most of the maria shown here (and elsewhere too) is dusted with one or more layers of bright material, presumably ejecta. There is a broad halo around Kepler but much of the bright veneer is not traceable to specific sources. 2/3rds of the way across the image from the east there is a very abrupt and straight boundary between a gray top deposit and underlying mottled surface - the upper end passes just west of Marius. I don't know if it is a processing/mosaicking artifact, but if it is real it means there have been processes at work that we barely understand.
Chuck Wood
Technical Details
2008-08-20
Related Links
Rükl plate 30
Yesterday's LPOD: Splashes of Brightness
Tomorrow's LPOD: Painterly Ejecta
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