Planets and Moons
ID: 4107
October 12, 2013 is International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN), an annual public outreach event that encourages people from around the world to look up at our nearest neighbor in space. The map on this page was produced as an observing aid for the event. It shows the phase and libration of the Moon for noon Universal Time on the date of the event, with labels for many of the features that are visible on that date. A corresponding observing list is available as a PDF.
The list includes items visible with the naked eye and with binoculars as well as telescopic targets. The Moon is just past First Quarter. Naked eye observers can see the shape and orientation of the daylit side and the difference in brightness of the northern and southern parts. They can probably make out the two largest maria, the Seas of Serenity and Tranquility. Those with keen eyes might also discern several less prominent maria, as well as a couple of bright spots near the southeastern limb.
These bright spots, near the craters Langrenus and Stevinus, are easier to see in binoculars, which will also show the Apennine Mountains and the irregularity of the terminator, the line between day and night. A telescope reveals that the terminator crosses a densely cratered region in the south, and elsewhere, it can resolve long, cliff-like scarps and the remnants of an extinct volcano. Although Apollo artifacts can't be seen by any Earthbound telescope, four of the six landing sites are in daylight at First Quarter.
Moon Map for InOMN 2013
The list includes items visible with the naked eye and with binoculars as well as telescopic targets. The Moon is just past First Quarter. Naked eye observers can see the shape and orientation of the daylit side and the difference in brightness of the northern and southern parts. They can probably make out the two largest maria, the Seas of Serenity and Tranquility. Those with keen eyes might also discern several less prominent maria, as well as a couple of bright spots near the southeastern limb.
These bright spots, near the craters Langrenus and Stevinus, are easier to see in binoculars, which will also show the Apennine Mountains and the irregularity of the terminator, the line between day and night. A telescope reveals that the terminator crosses a densely cratered region in the south, and elsewhere, it can resolve long, cliff-like scarps and the remnants of an extinct volcano. Although Apollo artifacts can't be seen by any Earthbound telescope, four of the six landing sites are in daylight at First Quarter.
Related Documentation
Visualization Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4107
Mission:
LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter)
Data Used:
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.
This item is part of these series:
The Moon
LRO - Still Images
Keywords:
SVS >> Lunar
SVS >> Moon
SVS >> LRO
SVS >> Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
SVS >> LOLA
SVS >> LROC
SVS >> Solar System >> Moon >> Lunar Surface
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4107
Mission:
LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter)
Data Used:
LRO/LOLA/Digital Elevation Map also referred to as: DEM
LRO/LROC/WAC 643nm High Sun Global Mosaic
MosaicThis item is part of these series:
The Moon
LRO - Still Images
Keywords:
SVS >> Lunar
SVS >> Moon
SVS >> LRO
SVS >> Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
SVS >> LOLA
SVS >> LROC
SVS >> Solar System >> Moon >> Lunar Surface
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons
