Friday, September 13, 2024

Major Mare Imbrium (evening)

On Friday, September 13, the lunar terminator will fall just beyond the
western rim of Mare Imbrium, the Sea of Rains, allowing it to be fully illuminated. That dark, circular feature dominates the northwestern quadrant
of the moon's Earth-facing hemisphere. The mare is the moon's largest impact basin, measuring more than 715 miles (1,145 km) in diameter. It was formed during the late heavy bombardment period approximately 3.94 billion years
ago. Telescope views of Mare Imbrium at this phase will reveal ejecta
blankets around its major craters (Aristillus and Archimedes), several nearly-submerged ghost craters (Cassini and Wallace), and numerous subtle wrinkle ridges (Heim, Stille).

(Data Courtesy of Starry Night)
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* Origin: CJ's Place, Orange City FL > cjsplace.thruhere.net (954:895/61)