I always look forward to the appearance of the 104km diameter crater Plato and surrounding environs as they emerge from the lunar night. There is so much to see there I find imaging irresistible. Usually I don’t like to do this wide a field but there’s much to enjoy. Plato’s terraced walls exhibit ancient slumping and breaches by rimae. South of Plato are the sparkling Montes Teneriffe with 2400m high Mons Pico the large peak on the east (right) end. To the east of Plato is the great gash Valles Alpes with it’s central rille seen here (with a 6″ telescope) with another isolated mountain peak south of the entrance to the Vallis, Mons Piton (2250m) standing isolated on the plain of Mare Imbrium. In the lower right corner of this image is Cassini (60km) with it’s tight ejecta blanket surrounding and interior wrinkles and satellite craters. Above Plato is a large flat region that is Mare Frigoris, the longest … Continue reading →