Page 81 - BBC Sky at Night Beginners Guide to Astronomy - 2017 UK

WHAT TO SEE

CRATER PLATO
SIZE: 109km across
TYPE: Lava-fi lled impact crater
APPEARANCE: In binoculars and
small telescopes the beauty of this
crater is its jagged rim with 2km
high mountains compared to its
smooth lava-fi lled fl oor.

MONTES ALPES
SIZE: 3.4km maximum height
TYPE: Mountain range
APPEARANCE: Through binoculars
you will just be able to make out this
rangle of peaks; with a telescope
they start to reveal really good detail,
especially if the terminator is close by.

MONTES TENERIFFE
SIZE: 2.5km maximum height
TYPE: Mountain range
APPEARANCE: When caught in the
right angle of sunlight this 110km-long
mountain range reveals good detail
among its peaks using a small scope
and around 150x magnifi cation.

MONS PITON
SIZE: 2.2km in height
TYPE: Mountain
APPEARANCE: Lying on its own in
the fl at region of the Mare Imbrium,
use a small telescope when the
Sun’s illumination is low to reveal the
shadow cast by this lone peak.

RUPES RECTA
SIZE: 110km long
TYPE: Rille
APPEARANCE: This popular target
for binoculars and small telescopes
is another fault line where the lunar
surface suddenly drops by 300m. It’s
best seen when close to the terminator.

VALLIS RHEITA
SIZE: 450km long
TYPE: Valley
APPEARANCE: A long, wide valley
that many think is the result of a
sustained meteor bombardment. A
small telescope will show the crater
Rheita next door has a central peak.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2012 81