Mare Nectaris: Multi-Ring Basin on the Moon

The week of November 22-28 takes us from Day 18 to Day 23. This week we will highlight Mare Nectaris, best viewable on Tuesday night.

Mare Nectaris: [SE/L13; L=36°E] The Nectaris basin was excavated 3.9 billion years ago. The oldest features on the Moon formed prior to this event. Mare Nectaris is a classic example of a multi-ring basin. Tonight will reveal Rupes Altai, a high cliff that is a conspicuous fragment of one of the original rings. As the Sun sets across the region, try to locate hints of other ring features surrounding Mare Nectaris.

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It is highly recommended that you get a copy of Sky and Telescope’s Field Map of the Moon, the very finest Moon map available for use at the telescope. It is available for $10.95 at www.skyandtelescope.com and on Amazon. All features mentioned in this blog will be keyed to the grid on the Field Map and will look like this: Plato: [NW/D9]

Credits:
Courtesy of Gray Photography of Corpus Christi, Texas
Lunar photos: NASA / USGS / BMDO / LROC / ASU / DLR / LOLA / Moon Globe. Used by permission

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Andrew Planck

Author and Astronomer Andrew Planck shepherds you to the moon and its mysteries of intrigue and surprise. Learn about the moon’s most fascinating objects, understand how the moon was formed and the names of many of the craters … and why they honor individuals who have changed the course of history.

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