September 15, 2022
Going Extreme
Originally published October 21, 2012
image by Michael Wirths, Baja California, Mexico
I exaggerate. Not with words but with Photoshop. Mike Wirths sent a wonderful image of most of Mare Tranquilliatitis and I strongly enhanced it to reveal delicate rilles and subtle domes. The story is more interesting, but the image is more tonally stark. Here are some of the things to pop out from the extreme enhancement. Are there three Arago domes? The crater Arago (upper left) is famous for the two nearby domes, one to the north and another to the west. But this image suggests a very low third dome of similar size, to Arago’s southwest and exactly in line with the other two. Smaller, more classical domes, are apparent in the upper right area too. Near its north end the famous sinuous Diamondback Rille (middle right) is crossed by a short rille segment that turns into a curved ridge. This is very peculiar! Most of the small craters in this image are secondaries, but can you find the two short lengths of elongated and overlapping craters that are volcanic collapses? Keep looking at every bit of the image to find more fascinating bits to explore and try to understand.
Chuck Wood
Note: This is a classic LPOD from Sept 18, 2006; 6 yrs old but still perhaps the best image of this area!
Technical Details
12 September 2006. 18″ Starmaster + camera Lumenera Infinity 2-2 + 2.5X Powermate barlow + red filter; 354 images stacked with Registax 4 beta.
Related Links
Rükl plate 35
A lower Sun view
Mike's Baja Dark Skies Inn website
Yesterday's LPOD: No Longer Straight
Tomorrow's LPOD: Crazy Quilt Imbrium
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