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3towers Observatory Lunar 100/Lunar Features

The Lunar 100 was created by Charles A. Wood who states: "The Lunar 100 list is an attempt to provide Moon lovers with something akin to what deep-sky observers enjoy with the Messier catalog: a selection of telescopic sights to ignite interest and enhance understanding. [It is]... a selection of the Moon's 100 most interesting regions, craters, basins, mountains, rilles, and domes."

Woods challenges "...observers to find and observe them all and, more important, to consider what each feature tells us about lunar and Earth history."

To find out more about the Lunar 100 see the Sky & Telescope web site at: http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/moon/article_1199_1.asp.

The Lunar 100 features are arranged from the easiest to view to the most difficult. The Moon itself is L1. L2 is Earthshine, and L3 represents the dichotomy between the Lunar highlands and the Lunar Maria. While the Lunar 100 are concentrated all on the nearside of the Moon, they can not be seen in a single night or a single month. Some of them require special lighting conditions or phases of the Moon, and others, in addition, require very favorable librations of the Moon to bring them into view. The Lunar 100 is an observing list. However, the equipment at the 3towers Observatory was used to image the Lunar 100, mainly using the web cam techniques detailed.


Lunar Feature Lunar Age in days (rounded down) Thumbnail Image Comments
51. Davy Crater Chain 8.0 days Davy is the crater left and above center with a chain of smaller craters running across it.  To its East is the large crater  Ptolemaeus and below that is Alphonsus with its dark spots.
51. Davy Crater Chain 9.3 days  
51. Davy Crater Chain 9.5 days Davy is the crater left and above center with a chain of smaller craters running across it.  To its East is the large crater  Ptolemaeus and below that is Alphonsus with its dark spots.
51. Davy Crater Chain 20.2 days Davy is the crater near the left edge with a chain of smaller craters running across it.  To its East is the large crater  Ptolemaeus and below that is Alphonsus with its dark spots
52. Cruger 26 days Cruger is the flat elliptical crater left of center with a dark lava filled bottom. To the Northeast of Cruger are the twin closely joined craters Sirsalis. Running North to South is the Sirsalis Rille.
53. Lamont; Arago Alpha & Beta (domes) 5.5 days Arago is the crater left and above center. The domes are visible North of Arago (Alpha) and West of Arago (Beta). Lamont is the lava filled crater just South of Arago.
53. Lamont; Arago Alpha & Beta (domes) 6.05 days Lamont is the lava filled crater left of center.  North of Lamont is Arago.  Arago Alpha is North of Arago and Beta is West of it.
54. Hippalus Rilles 10 days The crater in the lower right hand corner is Campanus. The large mountainous promontory above and left of center is Promontorium Kelvin. The multiple arching lines North and West of Campanus are the Hippalus Rilles.
54. Hippalus Rilles 10 days Campanus is just below and right of center. Next to it is Mercator. Promontorium Kelvin is partially shadowed. The crater near the top is Bullialdus. The Hippalus Rilles are in the center of the image. The partially lava filled crater near the bottom is Capuanus.
54. Hippalus Rilles 23.7 days  
55. Baco 6.7 days  
55. Baco 7 days The large crater just above center is Maurolycus. Below it contiguous to its Southeastern rim is Barocius. Directly South of Barocius are Breislak and then Baco.
56. Mare Australe 8 days  
56. Mare Australe Full Moon (14.days)  
57. Reiner Gamma 13 days Reiner Gamma is the bright patch near center. To its East is the crater Reiner. The two large craters in the lower left hand corner are Cavalerius (top) and Hevelius (bottom).
57. Reiner Gamma 13.1 days  
57. Reiner Gamma 18 days  
57. Reiner Gamma 22 days Reiner Gamma is the bright patch just below center. To its East is the crater Reiner. The bright crater with the extensive rays is Olbers.
57. Reiner Gamma & Kepler 26.6 days  
58. Rheita Valley 5 days Montage of the Southeastern portion of the Moon. Rheita Valley is left of center and Mare Australe is South of Rheita Valley.
58. Rheita Valley 5.7 days  
58. Rheita Valley and environs 5.7 days  
58. Rheita Valley 6 days Rheita Valley is along the right side of the image.  The large, complex crater Janssen is in the center of the image.
59. Schiller-Zucchius Basin 11.6 days The Zucchius Basin lies in the very center of the image.  Schiller is the large elongated crater North of the basin.   Zucchius is the crater in the lower right hand corner.
59. Schiller-Zucchius Basin 13 days Schiller is on the right edge of the image. The Zucchius basin is South of Schiller. The crater Zucchius is at the lower right hand corner.
59. Schiller-Zucchius Basin 13.1 days  
59. Schiller-Zucchius Basin 23.7 days The Zucchius Basin lies in the very center of the image.  Schiller is the large elongated crater North of the basin.  Phocylides is the large carter in the lower left hand corner.
59 Schiller-Zucchius Basin 25.7 days The Zucchius Basin lies in the very center of the image.  Schiller is in shadows.  Phocylides is the large carter in the lower left hand corner.
60. Kies Pi 23.6 days Kies is the lava flooded crater.  Kies Pi is the mound to the West of Kies.