Lunar Landscapes
ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE
L
unar photographs taken with even small telescopes
can show a surprising amount of detail, and there
always appears to be something new to see. It is not hard
to compile one’s own lunar photographic atlas.Sinus Aestuum The Bay of Heats
Mare Australe The Southern Sea
Mare Crisium The Sea of Crises
Palus Epidemiarum The Marsh of Epidemics
Mare Foecunditatis The Sea of Fertility
Mare Frigoris The Sea of Cold
Mare Humboldtianum Humboldt’s Sea
Mare Humorum The Sea of Humours
Mare Imbrium The Sea of Showers
Sinus Iridum The Bay of Rainbows
Mare Marginis The Marginal Sea
Sinus Medii The Central Bay
Lacus Mortis The Lake of Death
Palus Nebularum The Marsh of Mists
Mare Nectaris The Sea of Nectar
Mare Nubium The Sea of Clouds
Mare Orientale The Eastern Sea
Oceanus Procellarum The Ocean of Storms
Palus Putredinis The Marsh of Decay
Sinus Roris The Bay of Dews
Mare Serenitatis The Sea of Serenity
Mare Smythii Smyth’s Sea
Palus Somnii The Marsh of Sleep
Lacus Somniorum The Lake of the Dreamers
Mare Spumans The Foaming Sea
Mare Tranquillitatis The Sea of Tranquility
Mare Undarum The Sea of Waves
Mare Vaporum The Sea of VapoursNAMED NEAR-SIDE SEAS (MARIA)▲ Sinus Iridum –
the ‘Jewelled Handle’
appearance. The Sun is
rising over the bay, and
the rays are catching the
mountainous border while
the lower-lying land is still
in shadow. The two small
craterlets to the right of
the Bay are Helicon and
Le Verrier. Lunar rills. Two of the
best-known rills are shown
here. The Hyginus Rill,
near the centre, is actually
a crater-chain; the largest
feature, Hyginus, is 6 km
(4 miles) in diameter. The
long Ariadaeus Rill, to the
right, is more ‘cracklike’;
Ariadaeus itself is 15 km
(9 miles) in diameter. To
the right are the dark-floored
Boscovich and Julius Caesar. The Posidonius area.
This region is the large-
walled plain at the bottom
of the picture; its smaller
companion is Chacornac.
The two large craters at the
top are Atlas and Hercules;
to their left is Bürg, with
the dark plain of the Lacus
Mortis and an extensive
system of rills.B Atl of Univ Phil'03stp 31/3/03 4:05 pm Page 46