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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Western Moon, Eastern Sea
APOD.NASA.gov ^
| 28 Jan, 2022
| Image Credit & Copyright: Tom Glenn
Posted on 01/28/2022 4:09:44 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: The Mare Orientale, Latin for Eastern Sea, is one of the most striking large scale lunar features. The youngest of the large lunar impact basins it's very difficult to see from an earthbound perspective. Still, taken during a period of favorable tilt, or libration of the lunar nearside, the Eastern Sea can be found near top center in this sharp telescopic view, extremely foreshortened along the Moon's western edge. Formed by the impact of an asteroid over 3 billion years ago and nearly 1000 kilometers across, the impact basin's concentric circular features are ripples in the lunar crust. But they are a little easier to spot in more direct images of the region taken from lunar orbit. So why is the Eastern Sea at the Moon's western edge? The Mare Orientale lunar feature was named before 1961. That's when the convention labeling east and west on lunar maps was reversed.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: nasa
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To: MtnClimber
2
posted on
01/28/2022 4:09:59 PM PST
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; America_Right; AZ .44 MAG; ...
Pinging the APOD list.
🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔
3
posted on
01/28/2022 4:11:25 PM PST
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
The moon is 3,474 km in diameter. Getting hit by an asteroid 1,000 km in diameter would do a lot of damage, far more than leaving a crater. You’d think it would have blown the moon to bits. Of course, if they have the same density, then the object that hit the moon would have a mass (1,000/3,474)^3 or 2.4% of the moon’s mass.
4
posted on
01/28/2022 4:18:25 PM PST
by
ProtectOurFreedom
(81 million votes...and NOT ONE "Build Back Better" hat)
To: ProtectOurFreedom
That made me scratch my head too. I would guess 1000m, not 1000km!
5
posted on
01/28/2022 4:20:10 PM PST
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
"That's when the convention labeling east and west on lunar maps was reversed."
Never the twain shall meet, but they can change places. East identified as a transwest, and vice versa. All it takes is some corrective cosmetics and attire.
6
posted on
01/28/2022 4:26:46 PM PST
by
Telepathic Intruder
(Democracy is two dead Democrats and a Republican voting who's brains are for dinner.)
To: Telepathic Intruder
Trans? Not the Moon. No way. Maybe Uranus, but not the MOON!
7
posted on
01/28/2022 4:29:33 PM PST
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
Are you making Uranus jokes on a Moon thread?
8
posted on
01/28/2022 4:32:02 PM PST
by
EvilCapitalist
(Merry Christmas Illhan!)
To: ProtectOurFreedom; MtnClimber
The 1,000 km size is in reference to the impact basin’s size, not the asteroid, which was about 40 miles across according to Wiki.
9
posted on
01/28/2022 4:33:51 PM PST
by
Telepathic Intruder
(Democracy is two dead Democrats and a Republican voting who's brains are for dinner.)
To: Telepathic Intruder
OK, thanks! The text is confusing even after reading it about four times!
10
posted on
01/28/2022 4:36:15 PM PST
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
Well I have seen some actual NASA mistakes, one on this very site, but they are about as rare as comet sightings. You never can tell.
11
posted on
01/28/2022 5:10:52 PM PST
by
Telepathic Intruder
(Democracy is two dead Democrats and a Republican voting who's brains are for dinner.)
To: MtnClimber
Yes, 1,000 m would make more sense, but what’s a few orders of magnitude among friends? The number 3 isn’t very large, is it
12
posted on
01/28/2022 6:01:27 PM PST
by
ProtectOurFreedom
(81 million votes...and NOT ONE "Build Back Better" hat)
To: Telepathic Intruder
Thanks. I reread it and you are right. The sentence is clear on that.
13
posted on
01/28/2022 6:02:52 PM PST
by
ProtectOurFreedom
(81 million votes...and NOT ONE "Build Back Better" hat)
To: MtnClimber
I would love to know what size telescope was used to photograph that image of the moon.
14
posted on
01/28/2022 7:44:51 PM PST
by
jonrick46
(Leftnicks chase illusions of motherships at the end of the pier.)
To: MtnClimber
The “earthbound perspective” link is colorful and clear - in miles. But no kitty or pup.
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