observation moon

8/13/2019 observation moon

1/17

Observing

the Lunar 100


2/17

OBSERVING THE LUNAR 100

byPeter Argenziano

and

Thomas WatsonThe authors of this guide have no financial interest in or connection with Sky Publishing, or the

publishers of any of the references cited.

In the April 2004 issue of Sky&Telescope noted planetary scientist and authorCharles A. Wood presented the astronomical community with his answer to deep sky

observing lists such as the Messier and the Herschel 400 - The Lunar 100. His statedintention was to provide the observer with a list of features that provide visual interest

while at the same time offering an opportunity to learn about the Moon's fascinatinghistory and geography. The challenge he presents through the list is to not only seethese features on the surface of the Moon, but to think about them, and to try tounderstand what they mean about the Earth's natural satellite. Some of the items on

the list are as obvious and visible as earthshine on the young Moon and the basic lightand dark pattern that we interpret as The Man in the Moon or the Hare. Others willchallenge the most experienced and diligent of observers. How far can you go on theLunar 100? (As a general rule, the higher the number on the list, the more challengingthe feature will be to see.)

The following is a brief guidebook and log for use in tracking down andobserving the Lunar 100 by providing an observation checklist and a list of the featuressorted by best viewing opportunity. It was compiled using material from the Lunar100 list itself, along with Peter Grego's Moon Observer's Guide (Firefly Press 2004) and

the Atlas of the Moon by Antonin Rukl.

The Lunar 100 is the property of Charles A. Wood and Sky PublishingCorporation. Copies of the list in the form of a card bearing a map of the 100 featuresare available from Sky Publishing. The list can also be viewed at the S&T website.


3/17

Recommended references:

Lunar 100 (card) by Charles A. Wood (Sky Publishing)

Atlas of the Moonby Antonin Rukl

Moon Observer's Guide by Peter Grego

Exploring the Moon Through Binoculars and Small Telescopes by Ernest H.Cherrington Jr.

The Hatfield Photographic Lunar Atlas edited by Jeremy Cook

Photographic Atlas of the Moon by S.M. Chong, et al

The Modern Moon: A Personal Viewby Charles A. Wood

Consolidated Lunar Atlas Lunar and Planetary Institute

Lunar Quadrant Maps, available from Sky Publishing Corporation

Lunar Map Pro, high resolution lunar GIS software, available from ReadingInformation Technology, Inc.

Virtual Moon Atlas software by Christian Legrand and Patrick Chevalley

For a list of online lunar observing resources, visit the "Lunar Links" thread in the LunarObserving Forum at Cloudy Nights.


4/17

The

Lunar100

#

Feature

Significance

Lat.

Lon.

Diam

eter

(km)

Date

Observed

Telesc

ope

Eyepiece/Mag.

1

Moon

Largesatellite

-

-

3,4

76

2

Earthshine

Twicereflectedsunlight

-

-

-

3

Mare/highland

dichotomy

Twomaterialswith

distinctcompositions

-

-

-

4

Apennines

Imbriumbasinrim

18.9N

3.7W

40

0

5

Copernicus

Archetypallargecomplex

crater

9.7N

20.1W

93

6

Tycho

Largerayedcraterwith

impactmelts

43.4S

11.1W

10

2

7

AltaiScarp

Nectarisbasinrim

24.3S

22.6E

42

5

8

Theophilus,Cyrillus,

Catharina

Cratersequence

illustratingstagesof

degradation

13.2S

24.0E

11

0

9

Clavius

Lacksbasinfeaturesin

spiteofitssize

58.8S

14.1W

24

5

10

MareCrisium

Marecontainedinlarge

circularbasin

18.0N

59.0E

54

0

11

Aristarchus

Verybrightcraterwith

darkbandsonitswalls

23.7N

47.4W

40

12

Proclus

Oblique-impactrays

16.1N

46.8E

28

13

Gassendi

Floor-fracturedcrater

17.6S

40.1W

10

1

14

SinusIridum

Verylargecraterwith

missingrim

45.0N

32.0W

26

0

15

StarightWall(Rupes

Recta)

Bestexampleofalunar

fault

21.8S

7.8W

13

0

16

Petavius

Craterwithdomedand

fracturedfloor

25.1S

60.4E

18

8

17

Schroter'sValley

Giantsinuousrille

26.2N

50.8W

16

8


5/17

The

Lunar100

#

Feature

Significance

Lat.

Lon.

Diam

eter

(km)

Date

Observed

Telesc

ope

Eyepiece/Mag.

18

MareSerenitatisdark

edges

Distinctmareareaswith

differentcompositions

17.8N

23.0E

-

19

AlpineValley

Lunargraben

49.0N

3.0E

16

5

20

Posidinius

Floor-fracturedcrater

31.8N

29.9E

95

21

Fracastorius

Craterwithsubsidedand

fracturedfloor

21.5S

33.2E

11

2

22

AristarchusPlateau

Mysteriousupliftedregio

n

mantledwithpyroclastic

s

26.0N

51.0W

15

0

23

Pico

IsolatedImbriumbasin-

ringfragment

45.7N

8.9W

25

24

HyginusRille

Rillecontainingrimless

collapsepits

7.4N

7.8E

22

0

25

Messier&MessierA

Obliquericochet-impact

pair

1.9S

47.6E

11

26

MareFrigoris

Arcuatemareofuncerta

in

origin

56.0N

1.4E

1,6

00

27

Archimedes

Largecraterlacking

centralpeak

29.7N

4.0W

83

28

Hipparchus

Subjectoffirstdrawingof

asinglecrater

5.5S

4.8E

15

0

29

AridaeusRille

Long,lineargraben

6.4N

14.0E

25

0

30

Schiller

Possibleobliqueimpact

51.9S

39.0W

18

0

31

Taruntius

Youngfloor-fractured

crater

5.6N

46.5E

56

32

AragoAlpha&Beta

Volcanicdomes

6.2N

21.4E

26


6/17

The

Lunar100

#

Feature

Significance

Lat.

Lon.

Diam

eter

(km)

Date

Observed

Telesc

ope

Eyepiece/Mag.

33

SerpentineRidge

Basininner-ringsegmen

t

27.3N

25.3E

15

5

34

LacusMortis

Strangecraterwithrille

andridge

45.0N

27.2E

15

2

35

TriesneckerRilles

Rillefamily

4.3N

4.6E

21

5

36

Grimaldibasin

Smalltwo-ringbasin

5.5S

68.3W

41

0

37

Bailly

Barelydiscerniblebasin

66.5S

69.1W

30

3

38

Sabine&Ritter

Possibletwinimpacts

1.7N

19.7E

30

39

Schickard

CraterfloorwithOrienta

le

basinejectastripe

44.3S

55.3W

20

6

40

JanssenRille

Rareexampleofa

highlandrille

45.4S

39.3E

19

9

41

Besselray

Rayofuncertainorigin

nearBessel

21.8N

17.9E

-

42

MariusHills

Complexofvolcanic

domesandhills

12.5N

54.0W

12

5

43

Wargentin

Craterfilledtotherim

withlavaorejecta

49.6S

60.2W

84

44

Mersenius

Domedfloorcutby

secondarycraters

21.5S

49.2W

84

45

Maurolycus

Regionofsaturation

cratering

42.0S

14.0E

11

4

46

Regiomontanus

centralpeak

Possiblevolcanicpeak

28.0S

0.6W

10

8

47

Alphonsusdarkspots

Dark-haloeruptionson

craterfloor

13.7S

3.2W

11

9

48

Cauchyregion

Fault,rillesanddomes

10.5N

38.0E

13

0


7/17

The

Lunar100

#

Feature

Significance

Lat.

Lon.

Diam

eter

(km)

Date

Observed

Telesc

ope

Eyepiece/Mag.

49

GruithuisenDelta&

Gamma

Volcanicdomesformed

withviscouslavas

36.3N

40.0W

20

50

CayleyPlains

Light,smoothplainsof

uncertainorigin

4.0N

15.1E

14

51

Davycraterchain

Resultofcomet-fragmen

t

impacts

11.1S

6.6W

34

52

Cruger

Possiblevolcaniccaldera

16.7S

66.8W

45

53

Lamont

Possibleburiedbasin

4.4N

23.7E

10

6

54

HippalusRilles

Rillesconcentricto

Humorumbasin

24.5S

29.0W

24

0

55

Baco

Unusuallysmoothcrater

floorandsurrounding

plains

51.0S

19.1E

69

56

MareAustrale

Partiallyfloodedancient

basin

49.8S

84.5E

13

2

57

ReinerGamma

Conspicuousswirland

magneticanomaly

7.7N

59.2W

70

58

RheitaValley

Basinsecondary-crater

chain

72.5S

51.5E

68

59

Schiller-Zucchius

basin

Badlydegradedoverlook

ed

basin

56.0S

45.0W

33

5

60

KiesPi

Volcanicdome

26.9S

24.2W

45

61

MostingA

Simplecratercloseto

middleoflunarnearside

3.2S

5.2W

13

62

RumkerHills

Largevolcanicdome

40.8N

58.1W

70

63

Imbriumsculpture

Basinejecta

11.0N

12.0E

-


8/17

The

Lunar100

#

Feature

Significance

Lat.

Lon.

Diam

eter

(km)

Date

Observed

Telesc

ope

Eyepiece/Mag.

64

Descartes

Apollo16landingsite;

highlandvolcanism?

11.7S

15.7E

-

65

Hortensiusdomes

Domefieldnorthof

Hortensius

7.6N

27.9W

10

66

HadleyRille

LavachannelnearApollo

15landingsite

25.0N

3.0E

-

67

FraMauroformation

Apollo14landingsiteon

Imbriumejecta

3.6S

17.5W

-

68

FlamsteedP

Proposedyoungvolcanic

crater&Surveyor1

landingsite

3.0S

44.0W

-

69

Copernicussecondary

craters

Raysandcraterletsnear

Pytheas

19.6N

19.1W

4

70

Humboldtianumbasin

Multi-ringimpactbasin

57.0N

80.0E

65

0

71

SulpiciusGallusdark

mantle

Asheruptionsnorthwest

ofcrater

19.6N

11.6E

12

72

Atlasdark-halocraters

Explosivevolcanicpitso

n

floorofAtlas

46.7N

44.4E

87

73

Smythiibasin

Difficult-to-observebasin

scarpandmare

2.0S

87.0E

74

0

74

CopernicusH

Dark-haloimpactcrater

6.9N

18.3W

5

75

PtolemaeusB

Saucerlikedepressionon

thefloorofPtolemaeus

8.0S

0.8W

16

4

76

W.Bond

Largecraterdegradedby

Imbriumejecta

65.3N

3.7E

15

8


9/17


10/17

The

Lunar100

#

Feature

Significance

Lat.

Lon.

Diam

eter

(km)

Date

Observed

Telesc

ope

Eyepiece/Mag.

93

Dionysiusrays

Unusualandraredark

rays

2.8N

17.3E

18

94

Drygalski

LargeSouthPole-region

crater

79.3S

84.9W

14

9

95

Procellarumbasin

Moon'sbiggestbasin?

23.0N

15.0W

3,2

00

96

LeibnitzMountains

RimofSouthPole-Aitken

basin

85.0S

30.0E

-

97

InghiramiValley

Orientalebasinejecta

44.0S

73.0W

14

0

98

Imbriumlavaflows

Marelava-flowboundari

es

32.8N

22.0W

-

99

Inacaldera

D-shapedyoungvolcanic

caldera

18.6N

5.3E

3

1

00MareMarginisswirls

Possiblemagnetic-field

deposits

18.5N

88.0E

-


11/17

The Lunar 100 Day by Day

Day 2

2 Earthshine

10 Mare Crisium

16 Petavius

56 Mare Australe

70 Humboltianum Basin (Mare Humboltianum)

73 Mare Smythii

85 Langrenus rays

87 Humboldt

100 Mare Marginis swirls

Day 3

58 Rheita Valley (Vallis Rheita)

Day 4

12 Proclus

25 Messier & Messier A

31 Taruntius

40 Janssen Rille (Rima Janssen)

48 Cauchy region

72 Atlas dark halo craters

Day 57 Altai Scarp (Rupes Altai)

8 Theophilus, Cyrillus, Catherina

18 Mare Serenitatus dark edges

20 Posidonius

21 Fracastorius

26 Mare Frigoris

32 Arago Alpha & Beta

33 Serpentine Ridge (Dorsa Smirnov)

34 Lacus Mortis

38 Ritter & Sabine

53 Lamont

55 Baco

90 Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins


12/17


Day 6

24 Hyginus Rille (Rima Hyginus)28 Hipparchus

29 Ariadaeus Rille (Rima Ariadaeus)

35 Triesnecker Rille (Rimae Triesnecker)

41 Bessel ray

45 Maurolycus

50 Cayley Plains

63 Imbrium sculpture

64 Descarte

71 Sulpicus Gallus

82 Linne

89 Valentine dome

93 Dionysius rays

Day 7

4 Apennines (Montes Apenninus)

19 Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes)

27 Archimedes

46 Regiomontanus central peak

66 Hadley Rille (Rima Hadley)

75 Ptolemaeus B

76 W. Bond

88 Peary

92 Gylden Valley

Day 8

15 Straight Wall (Rupes Recta)

47 Alphonsus

51 Davy crater chain

61 Mosting A

79 Sinus Aestuum

83 Plato craterlets96 Leibnitz Mountains

99 Ina caldera


13/17


Day 9

5 Copernicus

6 Tycho

9 Clavius

14 Sinus Iridum

60 Kies Pi

65 Hortensius dome

67 Fra Mauro formation69 Copernicus secondary craters

74 Copernicus H

78 Lambert R

81 Hesiodus A

84 Pitatus

94 Drygalski

Day 10

13 Gassendi

30 Schiller

49 Griuthuisen Delta & Gamma

54 Hippalus Rilles (Rimae Hippalus)

59 Schiller-Zucchius basin

68 Flamsteed P

98 Imbrium lava flows

Day 11

11 Aristarchus

17 Schroters Valley

22 Aristarchus Plateau

39 Schickard

42 Marius Hills

44 Mersenius

57 Reiner Gamma

86 Prinz Rilles (Rimae Prinz)

91 De Gasparis Rilles (Rimae De Gasparis)

Day 12

37 Bailly

43 Wargentin

62 Rumker Hills (Mons Rumker)77 Sirsalis Rille (Rima Sirsalis)

Day 13

36 Grimaldi basin

52 Cruger

80 Orientale Basin (Mare Orientale)

97 Inghirami Valley (Vallis Inghirami)


14/17


Day 14

1 Moon

3 Mare/highland dichotomy

95 Procellarum Basin

Days 15-16-17

10 Mare Crisium12 Proclus

16 Petavius

25 Messier & Messier A

31 Taruntius

40 Janssen Rille (Rima Janssen)

56 Mare Australe

58 Rheita Valley (Vallis Rheita)

70 Humboldtianum basin

72 Atlas dark-halo crater

73 Smythii basin (Mare Smythii)

85 Langrenus rays

87 Humbolt

100 Mare Marginis swirls

Days 18-19-20

7 Altai Scarp (Rupes Altai)

8 Theophilus, Cyrillus, & Catharina

18 Mare Serenitatus dark edges

20 Posidonius

21 Fracastorius

29 Ariadeus Rille (Rima Ariadeus)

32 Arago Alpha & Beta

33 Serpentine Ridge (Dorsa Smirnov)

34 Lacus Mortis

38 Sabine & Ritter

41 Bessel ray

45 Maurolycus

48 Cauchy region

50 Cayley plains

53 Lamont

55 Baco63 Imbrium sculpture

64 Descarte

71 Sulpicius Gallus dark mantle

82 Linne

89 Valentine dome

90 Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins

93 Dionysius rays


15/17


Days 21-224 Apennines (Montes Apenninus)

5 Copernicus

6 Tycho

9 Clavius

15 Straight Wall (Rupes Recta)

19 Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes)

23 Pico

24 Hyginus Rille (Rima Hyginus)

26 Mare Frigoris

27 Archimedes

28 Hipparchus

35 Triesnecker Rilles (Rimae Triesnecker)

46 Regiomontanus central peak

47 Alphonsus dark spots

51 Davy crater chain

61 Mosting A

66 Hadley Rille (Rima Hadley)

67 Fra Mauro formation

69 Copernicus secondary crater

74 Copernicus H

75 Ptolemaeus B

76 W. Bond

78 Lambert R

79 Sinus Aestuum

81 Hesiodus A

83 Plato craterlets

84 Pitatus

88 Peary

92 Gylden Valley

94 Drygalski

96 Leibnitz Mountains99 Ina Caldera


16/17


Days 23-24-25

13 Gassendi

14 Sinus Iridum

30 Schiller

49 Gruithuisen Delta & Gamma

54 Hippalus Rille (Rima Hippalus)

59 Schiller-Zucchias basin

60 Kies Pi

65 Hortensius domes

68 Flammsteed P

98 Imbrium lava flows

Days 26-27-28

11 Aristarchus

17 Schroters Valley

22 Aristarchus Plateau

36 Grimaldi

37 Bailly

39 Schickard

42 Marius Hills

43 Wargentin

44 Mersenius

52 Cruger

57 Reiner Gamma

62 Rumker Hills (Mons Rumker)

77 Sirsalis Rille (Rima Sirsalis)

80 Orientale basin

86 Prinz Rilles (Rimae Prinz)

91 De Gasparis Rilles (Rimae De Gasparis)

97 Inghirami Valley (Vallis Inghirami)


17/17

The Lunar 100 is an excellent lunar observing list created by Charles A. Wood, and firstpublished in an article entitled Introducing the Lunar 100 (Sky & Telescope, April

2004). The Lunar 100 is the property of Charles A. Wood and Sky PublishingCorporation.This guidebook is provided to assist an observer in completing the Lunar 100 byproviding an observation checklist and a list of the features sorted by best viewingopportunity.

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