Mons Mouton, a Newly Named Lunar Mountain

Released Wednesday, February 15, 2023

ID: 5074

- Visualizations by:
- Ernie Wright
- Produced by:
- Erica Argueta

A view of the mountain with the Earth on the horizon. At the Moon's south pole, the south pole of the Earth is up.

A mountain near the Moon's south pole, sometimes known informally as Leibnitz Beta, has been officially named Mons Mouton after NASA mathematician and computer programmer Melba Roy Mouton. NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) team proposed the name to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the body in charge of naming lunar features. VIPER is scheduled to land on Mons Mouton, near the western rim of Nobile crater, in 2024.

The visualizations on this page were produced to accompany the announcement of the naming. They show Mons Mouton from a number of different angles. The flat-topped mountain spans almost 100 kilometers (60 miles) and rises roughly 6000 meters (20,000 feet) above the surrounding terrain. When lighting and libration are favorable, Mons Mouton is easily seen in amateur telescopes as a staple-shaped projection along the Moon's southern limb.

A turntable view of Mons Mouton, beginning with Nobile crater in the foreground.

A view of the Moon from Earth, zooming up to Mons Mouton, which is visible in amateur telescopes.

The Earth emerges from behind Mons Mouton on the horizon.

An overhead view of Mons Mouton, beginning with a natural color from a distance and changing to color-coded elevation as the camera comes closer. Includes a color key and animated scale bar.

An overhead view of Mons Mouton, beginning with a natural color from a distance and changing to color-coded elevation as the camera comes closer. The key and scale bar are omitted.