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Thomas Gwyn Elger - The Moon

T >> Thomas Gwyn Elger >> The Moon




MACLEAR.--A conspicuous ring-plain about 16 miles in diameter. The dark
floor includes, according to Madler, a delicate central hill which
Schmidt does not show. Neison, however, saw a faint greyish mark, and an
undoubted peak has been subsequently recorded. I have not succeeded in
seeing any detail within the border, which in shape resembles a triangle
with curved sides.

ROSS.--A somewhat larger ring-plain of irregular form, on the N.W. of the
last. There are gaps on the bright S.W. border and a crater on the S.E.
wall. The central mountain is an easy feature.

PLINIUS.--This magnificent object reminds one at sunrise of a great
fortress or redoubt erected to command the passage between the Mare
Tranquilitatis and the Mare Serenitatis. It is 32 miles in diameter, and
is encompassed by a very massive rampart, rising at one peak on the E. to
more than 6000 feet above the interior, and displaying, especially on the
S.E., and N., many spurs and buttresses. The exterior slopes at sunrise,
and even when the sun is more than 10 deg. above the horizon, are seen to
be traversed by wide and deep valleys. The S. _glacis_ is especially
broad, extending to a distance of 10 or 12 miles before it runs down to
the level of the plain. The shape of the circumvallation, when it is
fully illuminated, approximates very closely to that of an equilateral
triangle with curved sides. There are two bright little craters on the
outer slope, just below the summit ridge on the S.E., and another,
larger, on the N. wall, in which it makes a prominent gap. The interior
is considerably brighter than the surface of the surrounding Mare, and, a
little S. of the centre, includes two crater-like objects with broken
rims. These assume different aspects under different conditions of
illumination, and it is only when the floor is lighted by a comparatively
low morning sun, that their true character is apparent. On the N.W.
quarter of the interior are two smaller distinct craters, and a square
arrangement of ridges. On the N.E. there are some hillocks and minor
elevations. The Plinius rills form an especially interesting system, and
under favourable conditions may be seen in their entirety with a good 4
inch refractor, about the time when the morning terminator passes through
Julius Caesar. They consist of three long fissures, originating amid the
Haemus highlands, on the S. side of the Mare Serenitatis, and diverging
towards the W. The most southerly commences S.S.E. of the Acherusian
promontory (a great headland, 5000 feet high, at the W. termination of
the Haemus range), and, following a somewhat undulating course, runs up
to the N. side of Dawes. Under a low evening sun, I have remarked many
inequalities in the width of that portion of it immediately N. of
Plinius, which appear to indicate that it is here made up of rows of
inosculating craters. The cleft north of this originates very near it,
passes a little S. of the promontory, and runs to the E. edge of the
plateau surrounding Dawes. The third and most northerly cleft begins at a
point immediately N. of the promontory, cuts through the S. end of the
well-known Serpentine ridge on the Mare Serenitatis, and, after following
a course slightly concave to the N., dies out on the N. side of the
plateau. This cleft forms the line of demarcation between the dark tone
of the Mare Serenitatis and the light hue of the Mare Tranquilitatis,
traceable under nearly every condition of illumination, and prominent in
all good photographs.

DAWES.--A ring-plain 14 miles in diameter, situated N.W. of Plinius, on a
nearly circular light area. Its bright border rises to a height of 2000
feet above the Mare, and includes a central mountain, a white marking on
the E., and a ridge running from the mountain to the S. wall. There are
two closely parallel clefts on the N. side of the plateau running from E.
to W., that nearer Dawes being the longer, and having a craterlet
standing upon it about midway between its extremities. At its W.
termination there is a crater-row running at right angles to it. The
light area appears to be bounded on the E. by a low curved bank.

VITRUVIUS.--A ring-plain 19 miles in diameter with bright but not very
lofty walls, situated among the mountains near the S.W. side of the Mare
Serenitatis. It is surrounded by a region remarkable for its great
variability in brightness. There is a large bright ring-plain on the W.,
with a less conspicuous companion on the S. of it.

MARALDI.--A deep but rather inconspicuous formation, bounded on the W. by
a polygonal border. A small ring-plain with a central mountain is
connected with the S.W. wall; and, running in a N. direction from this,
is a short mountain arm which joins a large circular enclosure with a low
broken border standing on the N. side of the Mare Tranquilitatis.

LITTROW.--A peculiar ring-plain, rather smaller than the last, some
distance N. of Vitruvius, on the rocky W. border of the Mare Serenitatis.
It is shaped like the letter D, the straight side facing the W. There is
a distinct crater on the N. wall. On the N.W. it is flanked by three
irregular ring-plains, and on the S.E. by a fourth. Neison shows two
small mountains on the floor, but Schmidt, whose drawing is very true to
nature, has no detail whatever. A fine cleft may be traced from near the
foot of the E. wall to Mount Argaeus, passing S. of a bright crater on
the Mare E. of Littrow. It extends towards the Plinius system, and is
probably connected with it.

MOUNT ARGAEUS.--There are few objects on the moon's visible surface which
afford a more striking and beautiful picture than this mountain and its
surrounding heights with their shadows a few hours after sunrise. It
attains an altitude of more than 8000 feet above the Mare, and at a
certain phase resembles a bright spear-head or dagger. There is a well-
defined rimmed depression abutting on its southern point.

ROMER.--A prominent formation of irregular outline, 24 miles in diameter,
situated in the midst of the Taurus highlands. It has a very large
central mountain, a crater on the N. side of the floor, and terraced
inner slopes. Some distance on the N. is another ring, nearly as large,
with a crater on its S. rim, and between this and Posidonius is another
with a wide gap on the S. and a crater on its N. border. One of the most
remarkable crater-rills on the moon runs from the E. side of Romer
through this latter ring, and then northwards on to the plain W. of
Posidonius. Under suitable conditions, it can be seen as such in a 4 inch
achromatic. It is easily traceable as a rill in a photograph of the N.
polar region of the moon taken by MM. Henry at the Paris Observatory, and
recently published in _Knowledge_.

LE MONNIER.--A great inflection or bay on the W. border of the Mare
Serenitatis S. of Posidonius. Like many other similar formations on the
edges of the Maria, it appears at one time or other to have had a
continuous rampart, which on the side facing the "sea" has been
destroyed. In this, as in most of the other cases, relics of the ruin are
traceable under oblique light. A fine crescent-shaped mountain, 3000 feet
high, stands near the S. side of the gap, and probably represents a
portion of a once lofty wall. It will repay the observer to watch the
progress of sunrise on the whole of the W. coast-line of the Mare up to
Mount Argaeus.

POSIDONIUS.--This magnificent ring-plain is justly regarded as one of the
finest telescopic objects in the first quadrant. Its narrow bright wall
with its serrated shadow, the conspicuous crater, the clefts and ridges
and other details on the floor, together with the beautiful group of
objects on the neighbouring plain, and the great Serpentine ridge on the
E., never fail to excite the interest of the observer. The
circumvallation, which is far from being perfectly regular, is about 62
miles in diameter, and, considering its size, is not remarkable for its
altitude, as it nowhere exceeds 6000 feet above the interior, which is
depressed about 2000 feet below the surrounding plain. Its continuity,
especially on the E., is interrupted by gaps. On the N., the wall is
notably deformed. It is broader and more regular on the W., where it
includes a large longitudinal depression, and on the N.W. section stand
two bright little ring-plains. On the floor, which shines with a
glittering lustre, are the well-marked remains of a second ring, nearly
concentric with the principal rampart, and separated from it by an
interval of nine or ten miles. The most prominent object, however, is the
bright crater a little E. of the centre. This is partially surrounded on
the W. by three or four small bright mountains, through which runs in a
meridional direction a rill-valley, not easily traced as a whole, except
under a low sun. There is another cleft on the N.E. side of the interior,
which is an apparent extension of part of the inner ring, a transverse
rill-valley on the N., a fourth _quasi_ rill on the N.W., and a fifth
short cleft on the S. part of the floor. Between the principal crater and
the S.E. wall are two smaller craters, which are easy objects. Beyond the
border on the N., in addition to Daniell, are four conspicuous craters
and many ridges.

CHACORNAC.--This object, connected with Posidonius on the S.W., is
remarkable for the brilliancy of its border and the peculiarity of its
shape, which is very clearly that of an irregular pentagon with linear
sides. I always find the detail within very difficult to make out. Two or
more low ridges, traversing the floor from N. to S., and a small crater,
are, however, clearly visible under oblique illumination. Schmidt draws a
crater-rill, and Neison two parallel rills on the floor,--the former
extends in a southerly direction to the W. side of Le Monnier.

DANIELL.--A bright little ring-plain N. of Posidonius. It is connected
with a smaller ring-plain on the N.W. wall of the latter by a low ridge.

BOND, G.P.--A small bright ring-plain 12 miles in diameter, W. of
Posidonius. Neison shows a crater both on the N. and S. rim. Schmidt
omits these.

MAURY.--A bright deep little ring-plain, about 12 miles in diameter, on
the W. border of the Lacus Somniorum. It is the centre of four prominent
hill ranges.

GROVE.--A bright deep ring-plain, 15 miles in diameter, in the Lacus
Somniorum, with a border rising 7000 feet above a greatly depressed
floor, which includes a prominent mountain.

MASON.--The more westerly of two remarkable ring-plains, situated in the
highlands on the S. side of the Lacus Mortis. It is 14 miles in diameter,
has a distinct crater on its S. wall, and, according to Schmidt, a crater
on the E. side of the floor.

PLANA.--A formation 23 miles in diameter, closely associated with the
last. Neison states that the floor is convex and higher than the
surrounding region. It has a triangular-shaped central mountain, a
crater, and at least three other depressions on the S.W. wall where it
joins Mason.

BURG.--A noteworthy formation, 28 miles in diameter, on the Mare, N. of
Plana. The floor is concave, and includes a very large bright mountain,
which occupies a great portion of it. The interior slopes are prominently
terraced, and there are several spurs associated with the _glacis_ on the
S. and N.E. A distinct cleft runs from the N. side of the formation to
the S.E. border of the Lacus Somniorum, which is crossed by another
winding cleft running from a crater E. of Plana towards the N.E.

BAILY.--A small ring-plain, N. of Burg, flanked by mountains, with a
large bright crater on the W. The group of mountains standing about
midway between it and Burg are very noteworthy.

GARTNER.--A very large walled-plain with a low incomplete border on the
E., but defined on the W. by a lofty wall. Schmidt shows a curved crater-
row on the W. side of the floor.

DEMOCRITUS.--A deep regular ring-plain, about 25 miles in diameter, with
a bright central mountain and lofty terraced walls.

ARNOLD.--A great enclosure, bounded, like so many other formations
hereabouts, by straight parallel walls. There is a somewhat smaller
walled-plain adjoining it on the W.

MOIGNO.--A ring-plain with a dark floor, adjoining the last on the N.E.
There is a conspicuous little crater in the interior.

EUCTEMON.--This object is so close to the limb that very little can be
made of its details under the most favourable conditions. According to
Neison, there is a peak on the N. wall 11,000 feet in height.

METON.--A peculiarly-shaped walled-plain of great size, exhibiting
considerable parallelism. The floor is seen to be very rugged under
oblique illumination.


WEST LONGITUDE 20 deg. TO 0 deg.


SABINE.--The more westerly of a remarkable pair of ring-plains, of which
Ritter is the other member, situated on the E. side of the Mare
Tranquilitatis a little N. of the lunar equator. It is about 18 miles in
diameter, and has a low continuous border, which includes a central
mountain on a bright floor. From a mountain arm extending from the S.
wall, run in a westerly direction two nearly parallel clefts skirting the
edge of the Mare. The more southerly of these terminates near a
depression on a rocky headland projecting from the coast-line, and the
other stops a few miles short of this. A third cleft, commencing at a
point N.E. of the headland, runs in the same direction up to a small
crater near the N. end of another cape-like projection. At 8 h. on April
9, 1886, when the morning terminator bisected Sabine, I traced it still
farther in the same direction. All these clefts exhibit considerable
variations in width, but become narrower as they proceed westwards.

RITTER.--Is very similar in every respect to the last. A curved rill
mentioned by Neison is on the N.E. side of the floor and is concentric
with the wall. On the N. side of this ring-plain are three conspicuous
craters, the two nearer being equal in size and the third much smaller.

SCHMIDT.--A bright crater at the foot of the S. slope of Ritter.

DIONYSIUS.--This crater, 13 miles in diameter, is one of the brightest
spots on the lunar surface. It stands on the E. border of the Mare, about
30 miles E.N.E. of Ritter. A distinct crater-row runs round its outer
border on the W., and ultimately, as a delicate cleft, strikes across the
Mare to the E. side of Ritter. Both crater-row and cleft are easy objects
in a 4 inch achromatic under morning illumination.

ARIADAEUS.--A bright little crater of polygonal shape, with another
crater of about one-third the area adjoining it on the N.W., situated on
the rocky E. margin of the Mare Tranquilitatis, N.E. of Ritter. A short
cleft runs from it towards the latter, but dies out about midway. A
second cleft begins near its termination, and runs up to the N.E. wall of
Ritter. E. of this pair a third distinct cleft, originating at a point on
the coast-line about midway between Ariadaeus and Dionysius, ends near
the same place on the border. There is a fourth cleft extending from the
N. side of a little bay N. of Ariadaeus across the Mare to a point N.W.
of the more northerly of the three craters N. of Ritter. At a small
crater on the S. flank of the mountains bordering the little bay N. of
Ariadaeus originates one of the longest and most noteworthy clefts on the
moon's visible surface, discovered more than a century ago by Schroter of
Lilienthal. It varies considerably in breadth and depth, but throughout
its course over the plain, between Ariadaeus and Silberschlag, it can be
followed without difficulty in a very small telescope. E. of the latter
formation, towards Hyginus (with which rill-system it is connected), it
is generally more difficult. A few miles E. of Ariadaeus it sends out a
short branch, running in a S.W. direction, which can be traced as a fine
white line under a moderately high sun. It is interesting to follow the
course of the principal cleft across the plain, and to note its progress
through the ridges and mountain groups it encounters. In the great Lick
telescope it is seen to traverse some old crater-rings which have not
been revealed in smaller instruments. About midway between Ariadaeus and
Silberschlag it exhibits a duplication for a short distance, first
detected by Webb.

DE MORGAN.--A brilliant little crater, 4 miles in diameter, on the plain
S. of the Ariadaeus cleft.

CAYLEY.--A very deep bright crater, with a dark interior, N. of the last,
and more than double its diameter. There is a second crater between this
and the cleft.

WHEWELL.--Another bright little ring, about 3 miles in diameter, some
distance to the E. of De Morgan and Cayley.

SOSIGENES.--A small circular ring-plain, 14 miles in diameter, with
narrow walls, a central mountain, and a minute crater outside the wall on
the E.; situated on the E. side of the Mare Tranquilitatis, W. of Julius
Caesar. There is another crater, about half its diameter, on the S.,
connected with it by a low mound. This has a still smaller crater on the
W. of it.

JULIUS CAESAR.--A large incomplete formation of irregular shape. The wall
on the E. is much terraced, and forms a flat "S" curve. The summit ridge
is especially bright, and has a conspicuous little crater upon it. On
the W. is a number of narrow longitudinal valleys trending from N. to S.,
included by a wide valley which constitutes the boundary on this side.
The border on the S. consists of a number of low rounded banks, those
immediately E. of Sosigenes being traversed by several shallow valleys,
which look as if they had been shaped by alluvial action. There is a
brilliant little hill at the end of one of these valleys, a few miles E.
of Sosigenes. The floor of Julius Caesar is uneven in tone, becoming
gradually duskier from S. to N., the northern end ranking among the
darkest areas on the lunar surface. There are at least three large
circular swellings in the interior. A long low mound, with two or three
depressions upon it, bounds the wide valley on the E. side.

GODIN.--A square-shaped ring-plain, 28 miles in diameter, with rounded
corners. The bright rampart is everywhere lofty, except on the S., is
much terraced, and includes a central mountain. On the S. a curious
trumpet-shaped valley, extending some distance towards the S.W., and
bounded by bright walls, is a noteworthy feature at sunrise. There are
other longitudinal valleys with associated ridges on this side of the
formation, all running in the same direction. There is a large bright
crater outside the border on the N.E., and, between it and the wall,
another, smaller, which is readily seen under a high sun.

AGRIPPA.--A ring-plain 28 miles in diameter on the N. of the last, with a
terraced border rising to a height of between 7000 and 8000 feet above
the floor, which contains a large bright central mountain and two craters
on the S. The shape of this formation deviates very considerably from
circularity, the N. wall, on which stands a small crater, being almost
lineal. On the W., at a distance of a few miles, runs the prominent
mountain range, extending northwards nearly up to the E. flank of Julius
Caesar, which bounds the E. side of the great Ariadaeus plain. Between
this rocky barrier and Agrippa is a very noteworthy enclosure containing
much minute detail and a long straight ridge resembling a cleft. A few
miles N. of Agrippa stands a small crater; at a point W. of which the
Hyginus cleft originates.

SILBERSCHLAG.--A very brilliant crater, 8 or 9 miles in diameter,
connected with the great mountain range just referred to. The Ariadaeus
cleft cuts through the range a few miles N. of it. This neighbourhood at
sunrise presents a grand spectacle. With high powers under good
atmospheric conditions, the plain E. of the mountains is seen to be
traversed by a number of shallow winding valleys, trending towards
Agrippa, and separated by low rounded hills which have all the appearance
of having been moulded by the action of water.

BOSCOVICH.--This is not a very striking telescopic object under any
phase, on account of its broken, irregular, and generally ill-defined
border. It is, however, remarkable as being one of the darkest spots on
the visible surface: in this respect a fit companion to Julius Caesar,
its neighbour on the W. Schmidt shows some ridges within it.

RHAETICUS.--A very interesting formation, about 25 miles in diameter,
situated near the lunar equator, with a border intersected by many
passes. A deep rill-like valley winds round its eastern _glacis_,
commencing on the S. at a small circular enclosure standing at the end of
a spur from the wall; and, after crossing a ridge W. of a bright little
crater on the N. of the formation, apparently joins the most easterly
cleft of the Triesnecker system. A cleft traverses the N. side of the
floor of Rhaeticus, and extends across the plain on the E. as far as the
N. side of Reaumur.

TRIESNECKER.--Apart from being the centre of one of the most remarkable
rill-systems on the moon, this ring-plain, though only about 14 miles in
diameter, is an object especially worthy of examination under every
phase. At sunrise, and for some time afterwards, owing to the superior
altitude of the N.W. section of the wall, a considerable portion of the
border on the N. and N.E. is masked by its shadow, which thus appears to
destroy its continuity. On more than one occasion, friends, to whom I
have shown this object under these conditions, have likened it to a
breached volcanic cone, a comparison which at a later stage is seen to be
very inappropriate. The rampart is terraced within, and exhibits many
spurs and buttresses without, especially on the N.W. The central mountain
is small and not conspicuous. The rill-system is far too complicated to
be intelligibly described in words. It lies on the W. side of the
meridian passing through the formation, and extends from the N. side of
Rhaeticus to the mountain-land lying between Ukert and Hyginus on the N.
Birt likened these rills to "an inverted river system," a comparison
which will commend itself to most observers who have seen them on a good
night, for in many instances they appear to become wider and deeper as
they approach higher ground. Published maps are all more or less
defective in their representations of them, especially as regards that
portion of the system lying N. of Triesnecker.

HYGINUS.--A deep depression, rather less than 4 miles across, with a low
rim of varying altitude, having a crater on its N. edge. This formation
is remarkable for the great cleft which traverses it, discovered by
Schroter in 1788. The coarser parts of this object are easily visible in
small telescopes, and may be glimpsed under suitable conditions with a 2
inch achromatic. Commencing a little W. of a small crater N. of Agrippa,
it crosses, as a very delicate object, a plain abounding in low ridges
and shallow valleys, and runs nearly parallel to the eastern extension of
the Ariadaeus rill. As it approaches Hyginus it becomes gradually
coarser, and exhibits many expansions and contractions, the former in
many cases evidently representing craters. When the phase is favourable,
it can be followed across the floor of Hyginus, and I have frequently
seen the banks with which it appears to be bounded (at any rate within
the formation), standing out as fine bright parallel lines amid the
shadow. On reaching the E. wall, it turns somewhat more to the N.,
becomes still coarser and more irregular in breadth, and ultimately
expands into a wide valley on the N.E. It is connected with the Ariadaeus
cleft by a branch which leaves the latter at an acute angle on the plain
E. of Silberschlag, and joins it about midway between its origin N. of
Agrippa and Hyginus. It is also probably joined to the Triesnecker system
by one or more branches E. of Hyginus.

On May 27, 1877, Dr. Hermann Klein of Cologne discovered, with a 5 1/2
inch Plosel dialyte telescope, a dark apparent depression without a rim
in the Mare Vaporum, a few miles N.W. of Hyginus, which, from twelve
years' acquaintance with the region, he was certain had not been visible
during that period. On the announcement of this discovery in the
_Wochenschrift fur Astronomie_ in March of the following year, the
existence of the object described by Dr. Klein was confirmed, and it was
sedulously scrutinised under various solar altitudes. To most observers
it appeared as an ill-defined object with a somewhat nebulous border,
standing on an irregularly-shaped dusky area, with two or more small dark
craters and many low ridges in its vicinity. A little E. of it stands a
curious spiral mountain called the Schneckenberg. The question as to
whether Hyginus N. (as the dusky spot is called) is a new object or not,
cannot be definitely determined, as, in spite of a strong case in favour
of it being so, there remains a residuum of doubt and uncertainty that
can never be entirely cleared away. After weighing, however, all that can
be said "for and against," the hypothesis of change seems to be the most
probable.

UKERT.--This bright crater, 14 miles in diameter, situated in the region
N.E. of Triesnecker, is surrounded by a very complicated arrangement of
mountains; and on the N. and W. is flanked by other enclosures. It has a
distinct central mountain. Its most noteworthy feature is the great
valley, more than 80 miles long, which extends from N.E. to S.W. on the
E. side of it. This gorge is at least six miles in breadth, of great
depth, and is only comparable in magnitude with the well-known valley
which cuts through the Alps, W. of Plato. A delicate cleft, not very
clearly traceable as a whole, begins near its N. end, and terminates amid
the ramifications of the Apennines S. of Marco Polo.

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