October 18, 2006

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More Steep Places - This Time on a Limb

LPOD-Zond.jpg
image by Zond 8 fromPhil Stooke

The inner rims of some large young craters have steep scarps - up to about 50°. And observing the familiar limb of the south pole shows stubby peaks that appear steep. Here is another unfamilar limb view that also reveals angular peaks and crater rims in profile. My rough measurements suggest that the steeper of these slopes range from 20° (the right side cone on the fourth profile from the top) to 30° (3rd profile, left side) to 28° and 34° (2nd profile, left hill and right mountain). Of course, these measurements would be more meaningful if we knew where these mountains and peaks were. A free subscription to LPOD to whoever can locate the Zond 8 frame (seen in its entirety below) and identify any of the peaks. Oh yes, that is an Earthset happening too, but Murphy’s Law placed the fiducial mark over it!

Chuck Wood

Technical Details:
October 24, 1970. From low lunar orbit. 400 mm AFA-BAM camera. Film returned to Earth where it was scratched.

Related Links:
Soviet Moon Images

Yesterday's LPOD: A Hole in the Middle

Tomorrow's LPOD: Having Trouble with Mosaics?


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