Operation Manual

39
MOON MAP
Thisbasicmoonmapshowsmostoftheinterestingfeaturesthatcanbeseenthroughatele-
scope.ThelargestcrateronthemoonisBailly(justunder300km).Asmalltelescopewillshow
craterswithadiameteroffiveandtenkilometres.ThelargestlunarcraterisTycho,whilethe
brightestcraterisAristarchus.Thelargestdetailcanbeseenwhenthemoonisinthefirst or
lastquarter,whenthesun’sraystouchonthemoonatanangleandthrowsshadows,thereby
providingmorecontrast.ThemoonalwaysfacestheEarthwiththesameside,asitrotatesonce
onitaxis,whileitorbitstheEarthonce.
In fact, we can see more than 50% of the moon, due to the libration.This expression would
requiredetailedexplanations.Thereaderisrecommendedtorefertoagoodreferencebook.
Comment:
Theorientationofanobject,asitisseenthroughatelescopemaynotnecessarilybethesameas
thatseenwiththenakedeye.Themoonisagoodexample.Conventionallydefined,thenorthern
edgeofthemoonistheonethatisclosesttothenorthernhorizon.