Astronomy Picture of the Day - Plato and the Lunar Alps

NASA ^ | 15 Jan, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Luigi Morrone

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: The dark-floored, 95 kilometer wide crater Plato and sunlit peaks of the lunar Alps (Montes Alpes) are highlighted in this this sharp telescopic snapshot of the Moon's surface. While the Alps of planet Earth were uplifted over millions of years as continental plates slowly collided, the lunar Alps were likely formed by a sudden collision that created the giant impact basin known as the Mare Imbrium or Sea of Rains. The mare's generally smooth, lava-flooded floor is seen below the bordering mountain range. The prominent straight feature cutting through the mountains is the lunar Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes). Joining the Mare Imbrium and northern Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold) the valley extends toward the upper right, about 160 kilometers long and up to 10 kilometers wide. Of course, the large, bright lunar alpine mountain below and right of Plato crater is named Mont Blanc. Lacking an atmosphere, not to mention snow, the lunar Alps are probably not an ideal location for a winter vacation. Still, a 150 pound skier would weigh a mere 25 pounds on the Moon.

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TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

[MtnClimber]

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[dljordan]

Sounds like a band.

[telescope115]

I love looking at the Moon…

[MtnClimber]

I have climbed in the alps, Mt Blanc, Matterhorn and Eiger. It did not look like this.

[Jamestown1630]

Look for its Mt. Rushmore:

https://static0.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/creepy-the-far-side-10.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2

[dragnet2]

Not long ago while crater hopping on lunar surface, I noted the extensive shadows from the mountains surrounding Plato's crater rim, being cast across the crater floor as seen on the left side of this image. Some of those peaks are in excess of 7,000 ft elevation.

For size reference, the LA area would basically fit insider the crater. I'd guess those shadows are about 30 miles long.

[Diogenesis]

[citizen]

“... a 150 pound skier would weigh a mere 25 pounds on the Moon.”
Skiing on the Moon!

[Freedom4US]

What’s kind of interesting, looking at Tycho, I think it is in the southern extreme through a telescope observers have seen jagged features due to the extreme angles of the sunlight for hundreds of years. It’s sort of an optical illusion.

Before the unmanned and manned missions got up close and personal artist depictions and Sci-fi movies and such always showed the Moon landscape innaccurately, it’s mostly rounded and smooth, not stalagmites and stalagtite features.

[No name given]

Wow.