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Thomas Gwyn Elger - The Moon

T >> Thomas Gwyn Elger >> The Moon




TAQUET.--A conspicuous little crater on the S. border of the Mare
Serenitatis at the foot of the Haemus Mountains. A branch of the great
Serpentine ridge, which traverses the W. side of this plain and other
lesser elevations, runs towards it.

MENELAUS.--A conspicuously bright regular ring-plain, about 20 miles in
diameter, situated on the S. coast-line of the Mare Serenitatis, and
closely associated with the Haemus range. It has a brilliant central
mountain, but no visible detail on the walls. On the edge of the Mare,
S.W. of it, there is a curious square formation. The bright streak
traversing the Mare from N. to S., which is so prominently displayed in
old maps of the moon, passes through this formation.

SULPICIUS GALLUS.--Another brilliant object on the south edge of the Mare
Serenitatis, some distance E. of the last. It is a deep circular crater
about 8 miles in diameter, rising to a considerable height above the
surface. Its shadow under a low morning sun is prominently jagged. On the
E. are two bright mounds, and S. of that which is nearer the border of
the Mare, commences a cleft which, following the curvature of the coast-
line, terminates at a point in W. long. 9 deg. This object varies
considerably in width and depth. Another shorter and coarser cleft runs
S. of this across an irregularly shaped bay or inflexion in the border of
the Mare.

MANILIUS.--This, one of the most brilliant objects in the first quadrant,
is about 25 miles in diameter, with walls nearly 8000 feet above the
floor, which includes a bright central mountain. The inner slope of the
border on the E. is much terraced and contains some depressions. There is
a small isolated bright mountain 2000 feet high on the Mare Vaporum, some
distance to the E.

BESSEL.--A bright circular crater, 14 miles in diameter, on the S. half
of the Mare Serenitatis, and the largest object of its class thereon. Its
floor is depressed some 2000 feet below the surrounding surface, while
the walls, rising nearly 1600 feet above the plain, have peaks both on
the N. and S. about 200 feet higher. The shadows of these features, noted
by Schroter in 1797, and by many subsequent observers, are very
noteworthy. I have seen the shadow of a third peak about midway between
the two. One may faintly imagine the magnificent prospect of the coast-
line of the Mare with the Haemus range, which would be obtained were it
possible to stand on the summit of one of these elevations. It is
doubtful whether Bessel has a central mountain. Neither Madler nor
Schmidt have seen one, though Webb noted a peak on two occasions. I fail
to see anything within the crater. The bright streak crossing the Mare
from N. to S. passes through Bessel.

LINNE.--A formation on the E. side of the Mare Serenitatis, described by
Lohrmann and Madler as a deep crater, but which in 1866 was found by
Schmidt to have lost all the appearance of one. The announcement of this
apparent change led to a critical examination of the object by most of
the leading observers, and to a controversy which, if it had no other
result, tended to awaken an interest in selenography that has been
maintained ever since. According to Madler, the crater was more than 6
miles in diameter in his time, and very conspicuous under a low sun, a
description to which it certainly did not answer in 1867 or at any
subsequent epoch. It is anything but an easy object to see well, as there
is a want of definiteness about it under the best conditions, though the
minute crater, the low ridges, and the nebulous whiteness described by
Schmidt and noted by Webb and others, are traceable at the proper phase.
As in the case of Hyginus N, there are still many sceptics as regards
actual change, despite the records of Lohrmann and Madler; but the
evidence in favour of it seems to preponderate.

CONON.--A bright little crater, 11 miles in diameter, situated among the
intricacies of the Apennines, S. of Mount Bradley. It has a central hill,
which is not a difficult object.

ARATUS.--One of the most brilliant objects on the visible surface of the
moon, a crater 7 miles in diameter, S. of Mount Hadley, surrounded by the
lofty mountain arms and towering heights of the Apennines. A peak close
by on the N. is more than 10,000 feet, and another farther removed
towards the N.W. is over 14,000 feet in altitude.

AUTOLYCUS.--A ring-plain 23 miles in diameter, deviating considerably
from circularity, W. of Archimedes, on the Mare Imbrium, or rather on
that part of it termed the Palus Putredinis. Its floor, which contains an
inconspicuous central mountain, is depressed some 4000 feet below the
surrounding country. With a power of 150 on a 4 5/8 achromatic, Dr.
Sheldon of Macclesfield has seen two shallow crateriform depressions in
the interior, one nearly central, and the other about midway between it
and the N. wall. The wall is terraced within, and has a crater just below
its crest on the W., which, when the opposite border is on the morning
terminator, is seen as a distinct notch. Autolycus is the centre of a
minor ray-system.

ARISTILLUS.--A larger and much more elaborate ring-plain, 34 miles in
diameter, N. of Autolycus. Its complex wall, with its terraces within,
and its buttresses, radiating spurs, and gullies without, forms a grand
telescopic object under a low sun on a good night. It rises on the east
11,000 feet above the Mare, and is about 2000 feet lower on the W., while
the interior is depressed some 3000 feet. Its massive central mountain,
surmounted by many peaks, occupies a considerable area on the floor, and
exhibits a digitated outline at the base. On the S. and W. a number of
deep valleys radiate from the foot of the border, some of them extending
nearly as far as Autolycus. Shallower but more numerous and regular
features of the same class radiate towards the N.E. from the foot of the
opposite wall. On the N.W. are several curved ridges, all trending
towards Theaetetus. On the S.E. the surface is trenched by a number of
crossed gullies, well seen when the E. wall is on the morning terminator.
Just beyond the N. _glacis_ is a large irregular dusky enclosure with a
central mound, and another smaller low ring adjoining it on the S.E. The
visibility of these objects is very ephemeral, as they disappear soon
after sunrise. Aristillus is also the centre of a bright ray system.

THEAETETUS.--A conspicuous ring-plain, about 16 miles in diameter, in the
Palus Nebularum, N.W. of Aristillus. It is remarkable for its great
depth, the floor sinking nearly 5000 feet below the surface. Its walls,
7000 feet high on the W., are devoid of detail. The _glacis_ on the S.W.
has a gentle slope, and extends for a great distance before it runs down
to the level of the plain. Not far from the foot of the wall on the N. is
a row of seven or eight bright little hills, near the eastern side of
which originates a distinct cleft that crosses the Palus in a N.W.
direction, and terminates among mountains between Cassini and Calippus. I
have seen this object easily with a 4 inch achromatic.

CALIPPUS.--A bright ring-plain 17 miles in diameter, situated in the
midst of the intricate Caucasus Mountain range. On the E. is a brilliant
peak rising more than 13,000 feet above the Palus Nebularum, and nearer
the border, on the N.E., is a second, more than 500 feet higher, with
many others nearly as lofty in the vicinity. Calippus has not apparently
a central peak or any other features on the floor.

CASSINI.--This remarkable ring-plain, about 36 miles in diameter, is very
similar in character to Posidonius. It has a very narrow wall, nowhere
more than 4000 feet in height, and falling on the E. to 1500 feet. Though
a prominent and beautiful object under a low sun, its attenuated border
and the tone of the floor, which scarcely differs from that of the
surrounding surface, render it difficult to trace under a high angle of
illumination, and perhaps accounts for the fact that it escaped the
notice of Hevel and Riccioli; though it is certainly strange that a
formation which is thrown into such strong relief at sunrise and sunset
should have been overlooked, while others hardly more prominent at these
times have been drawn and described. The outline of Cassini is clearly
polygonal, being made up of several rectilineal sections. The interior,
nearly at the same level as the outside country, includes a large bright
ring-plain, A, 9 miles in diameter and 2600 feet in depth, which has a
good-sized crater on the S. edge of a great bank which extends from the
S.W. side of this ring-plain to the wall. On the E. side of the floor,
close to the inner foot of the border, is a bright deep crater about two-
thirds of the diameter of A, and between it and the latter Brenner has
seen three small hills. The outer slope of Cassini includes much detail.
On the S.W. is a row of shallow depressions just below the crest of the
wall, and near the foot of the slope is a large circular shallow
depression associated with a valley which runs partly round it. The shape
of the _glacis_ on the W. is especially noteworthy, the S.W. and N.W.
sides meeting at a slightly acute angle at a point 10 or 12 miles W. of
the summit of the ring. On the outer E. slope is a curious elongated
depression, and on the N. slope two large dusky rings, well shown by
Schmidt, but omitted in other maps. Most of these details are well within
the scope of moderate apertures. Perhaps the most striking view of
Cassini and its surroundings is obtained when the morning terminator is
on the central meridian.

ALEXANDER.--A large irregularly shaped plain, at least 60 miles in
longest diameter, enclosed by the Caucasus Mountains. On the S.W. and
N.W. the border is lineal. It has a dark level floor on which there is a
great number of low hills.

EUDOXUS.--A bright deep ring-plain, about 40 miles in diameter, in the
hilly region between the Mare Serenitatis and the Mare Frigoris, with a
border much broken by passes, and deviating considerably from
circularity. Its massive walls, rising more than 11,000 feet above the
floor on the W., and about 10,000 feet on the opposite side, are
prominently terraced, and include crater-rows in the intervening valleys,
while their outer slopes present a complicated system of spurs and
buttresses. There is a bright crater on the N. _glacis_, and some
distance beyond the wall on the N.W. is a small ring-plain, and on the
S.E. another, with a conspicuous crater between it and the wall. Neison
draws attention to an area of about 1400 square miles on the N.E. which
is covered with a great multitude of low hills. E. of Eudoxus are two
short crossed clefts, and on the N. a long cleft of considerable delicacy
running from N.E. to S.W. It was in connection with this formation that
Trouvelot, on February 20, 1877, when the terminator passed through
Aristillus and Alphonsus, saw a very narrow thread of light crossing the
S. part of the interior and extending from border to border. He noted
also similar appearances elsewhere, and termed them _Murs enigmatiques_.

ARISTOTELES.--A magnificent ring-plain, 60 miles in diameter, with a
complex border, surmounted by peaks, rising to nearly 11,000 feet above
the floor, one of which on the W., pertaining to a terrace, stands out as
a brilliant spot in the midst of shadow when the interior is filled with
shadow. The formation presents its most striking aspect at sunrise, when
the shadow of the W. wall just covers the floor, and the brilliant inner
slope of the E. wall with the little crater on its crest is fully
illuminated. At this phase the details of the terraces are seen to the
best advantage. The arrangement of the parallel ridges and rows of hills
on the N.E. and S.W. is likewise better seen at this time than under an
evening sun. A bright and deep ring-plain, about 10 miles in diameter,
with a distinct central mountain, is connected with the W. wall.

EGEDE.--A lozenge-shaped formation, about 18 miles from corner to corner,
bounded by walls scarcely more than 400 feet in height. It is
consequently only traceable under very oblique illumination.

THE GREAT ALPINE VALLEY.--A great wedge-shaped depression, cutting
through the Alps W. of Plato, from W.N.W. to E.S.E. It is more than 80
miles in length, and varies in breadth from 6 miles on the S. to less
than 4 miles on the N., where it approaches the S. border of the Mare
Frigoris. For a greater part of its extent it is bounded on the S.W. side
by a precipitous linear cliff, which, under a low evening sun, is seen to
be fringed by a row of bright little hills. These are traceable up to one
of the great mountain masses of the Alps, forming the S.W. side of the
great oval-shaped expansion of the valley, whose shape has been
appropriately compared to that of a Florence oil-flask, and which Webb
terms "a grand amphitheatre." On the opposite or N.E. side, the boundary
of the valley is less regular, following a more or less undulating line
up to a point opposite, and a little N. of, the great mountain mass,
where it abuts on a shallow _quasi_ enclosure with lofty walls, which,
projecting westwards, considerably diminish the width of the valley.
South of this lies another curved mountain ring, which still farther
narrows it. This curtailment in width represents the neck of the flask,
and is apparently about 16 or 17 miles in length, and from 3 to 4 miles
in breadth, forming a gorge, bordered on the W. by nearly vertical
cliffs, towering thousands of feet above the bottom of the valley; and on
the E. by many peaked mountains of still greater altitude. At the
entrance to the "amphitheatre," the actual distance between the colossal
rocks which flank the defile is certainly not much more than 2 miles.
From this standpoint the view across the level interior of the elliptical
plain would be of extraordinary magnificence. Towards the S., but more
than 12 miles distant, the outlook of an observer would be limited by
some of the loftiest peaks of the Alps, whose flanks form the boundary of
the enclosure, through which, however, by at least three narrow passes he
might perchance get a glimpse of the Mare Imbrium beyond. The broadest of
these aligns with the axis of the valley. It is hardly more than a mile
wide at its commencement on the S. border of the "amphitheatre," but
expands rapidly into a trumpet-shaped gorge, flanked on either side by
the towering heights of the Alps as it opens out on to the Mare. The
bottom, both of the "amphitheatre" and of the long wedge-shaped valley,
appears to be perfectly level, and, as regards the central portion of the
latter, without visible detail. Under morning illumination I have,
however, frequently seen something resembling a ridge partially crossing
"the neck," and, near sunset, a tongue of rock jutting out from the E.
flank of the constriction, and extending nearly from side to side. At the
base of the cliff bordering the valley on the S.W., five or six little
circular pits have been noted, some of which appear to have rims. They
were seen very perfectly with powers of 350 and 400 on an 8 1/2 inch
Calver reflector at 8 h. on January 25, 1885, and have been observed, but
less perfectly, on subsequent occasions. The most northerly is about 10
miles from the N.W. end of the formation, and the rest occur at nearly
regular intervals between it and "the neck." In the neighbourhood of the
valley, on either side, there are several bright craters. Three stand
near the N.E. edge, and one of considerable size near the N.W. end on the
opposite side. A winding cleft crosses the valley about midway, which,
strange to say, is not shown in the maps, though it may be seen in a 4
inch achromatic. It originates apparently at a bright triangular mountain
on the plain S.W. of the valley, and, after crossing the latter somewhat
obliquely, is lost amid the mountains on the opposite side. That portion
of it on the bottom of the valley is easily traceable under a high light
as a white line. The region N. of the Alps on the S.W. side of the valley
presents many details worthy of examination. Among them, parallel rows of
little hills, all extending from N.W. to S.E. There is also a number of
still smaller objects of the same type on the E. side. The great Alpine
valley, though first described by Schroter, is said to have been
discovered on September 22, 1727, by Bianchini, but it is very unlikely
that an object which is so prominent when near the terminator was not
often remarked before this.

ARCHYTAS.--A bright ring-plain, 21 miles in diameter, on the edge of the
Mare Frigoris, due N. of the Alpine Valley, with regular walls rising
about 5000 feet above the interior on the N.W., and about 4000 feet on
the opposite side. It has a very bright central mountain. Several spurs
radiate from the wall on the S., and a wide valley, flanked by lofty
heights, forming the S.W. boundary of W.C. Bond, originates on the N
side. There is also a crater-rill running towards the N.W. On the Mare,
S.W. of Archytas, is a somewhat smaller ring-plain, Archytas A (called by
Schmidt, PROTAGORAS), with lofty walls and a central hill.

CHRISTIAN MAYER.--A prominent rhomboidal-shaped ring-plain, 18 miles in
diameter, associated on every side, except the N., with a number of
irregular inconspicuous enclosures. It has a central peak. Madler
discovered two delicate short clefts, both running from N.W. to S.E., one
on the W. and the other on the E. of this formation.

W.C. BOND.--A great enclosed plain of rhomboidal shape on the N. of
Archytas, the bright ring-plain Timaeus standing near its E. corner, and
another conspicuous but much smaller enclosure with a smaller crater W.
of it on the floor at the opposite angle. The interior, which is covered
with rows of hillocks, is very noteworthy at sunrise.

BARROW.--There are few more striking or beautiful objects at sunrise than
this, mainly because of the peculiar shape of its brilliant border and
the remarkable shadows of the lofty peaks on its western wall. There is a
notable narrow gap in the rampart on the W., which appears to extend to
the level of the floor. The walls, especially on the S., are very
irregular, and include two large deep craters and some minor depressions.
If the formation is observed when its E. wall is on the morning
terminator, a fine view is obtained of the remarkable crater-row which
winds round the N. side of Goldschmidt. Barrow is about 40 miles in
diameter. According to Schmidt, there is one crater in the interior, a
little S.E. of the centre.

SCORESBY.--A much fore-shortened deep ring-plain, 36 miles in diameter,
between Barrow and the limb. It has a central mountain with two peaks,
which are very difficult to detect.

CHALLIS.--A ring-plain adjoining Scoresby on the N.E. It is of about the
same size and shape.

MAIN.--A very similar formation, on the N. of the last, much too near the
limb to be well observed.


SECOND QUADRANT


EAST LONGITUDE 0 deg. TO 20 deg.


MURCHISON.--A considerable ring-plain about 35 miles across on the E.,
where it abuts on Pallas. It is a pear-shaped formation, bounded on the
N. by a mountainous region, and gradually diminishes in width towards the
S.E., on which side it is open to the plain. The walls are of no great
altitude, but, except on the N.W., are very bright. At the S. termination
of the W. wall there is an exceedingly brilliant crater, Murchison A,
five miles in diameter and some 3000 feet deep; adjoining which on the
N.W. is an oval depression and a curious forked projection from the
border. The only objects visible in the interior are a few low ridges on
the E. side, and a number of long spurs running out from the wall on the
N. towards the centre of the floor. Murchison A is named CHLADNI by
Lohrmann.

PALLAS.--A fine ring-plain, about 32 miles in diameter, forming with
Murchison an especially beautiful telescopic object under suitable
illumination. Its brilliant border, broken by gaps on the W., where it
abuts on Murchison, has a bright crater on the N.E., from which,
following the curvature of the wall, and just below its crest, runs a
valley in an easterly direction. There is a large bright central mountain
on the floor, with a smaller elevation to the S. of it, and a ridge
extending from the N. wall to near the centre. On the W., a section of
the border is continued in a N. direction far beyond the limits of the
formation; and on the S. it is connected with a small incomplete ring; on
the E. of which, near the foot of the wall, is a somewhat smaller and
much duskier enclosure.

BODE.--A brilliant ring-plain, 9 miles in diameter, situated on the N.
side of Pallas. Its walls rise about 5000 feet above the interior, which
is considerably depressed, and includes, according to Schmidt and Webb, a
mountain or ridge. There are two parallel valleys on the W., which are
well worth examination.

SOMMERING.--An incomplete ring-plain, 17 miles in diameter, situated on
the lunar equator. It has rather low broken walls and a dark interior.

SCHROTER.--A somewhat larger formation, with a border wanting on the S.
Schmidt draws a considerable crater on the S.W. side of the floor. It was
in the region north of this object, which abounds in little hills and low
ridges, that in the year 1822 Gruithuisen discovered a very remarkable
formation consisting of a number of parallel rows of hills branching out
(like the veins of a leaf from the midrib) from a central valley at an
angle of 45 deg., represented by a depression between two long ridges
running from north to south. The regularly arranged hollows between the
hills and the longitudinal valley suggested to his fertile imagination
that he had at last found a veritable city in the moon--possibly the
metropolis of Kepler's _Subvolvani_, who were supposed to dwell on that
hemisphere of our satellite which faces the earth. At any rate, he was
firmly convinced that it was the work of intelligent beings, and not due
to natural causes. This curious arrangement of ridges and furrows, which,
according to Webb, measures about 23 miles both in length and breadth,
is, owing to the shallowness of the component hills and valleys, a very
difficult object to see in its entirety, as it must be viewed when close
to the terminator, and even then the sun's azimuth and good definition do
not always combine to afford a satisfactory glimpse of its ramifications.
M. Gaudibert has given a drawing of it in the _English Mechanic_, vol.
xviii. p. 638.

GAMBART.--A regular ring-plain, 16 miles in diameter, with a low border
and without visible detail within; situated nearly on the lunar equator,
about 130 miles S.S.W. of Copernicus, at the N.W. edge of a very hilly
region. A prominent pear-shaped mountain, with a small crater upon it,
stands a short distance on the S.W., and further in the same direction, a
large bright crater with two much smaller craters on the N. of it. The
rough hilly district about midway between Copernicus and Gambart is
remarkable for its peculiar dusky tone and for certain small dark spots,
first seen by Schmidt, and subsequently carefully observed by Dr. Klein.
The noteworthy region where these peculiar features are found represents
an area of many thousand square miles, and must resemble a veritable
_Malpais_, covered probably with an incalculable number of craters,
vents, cones, and pits, filled with volcanic _debris_. It is among
details of this character that the true analogues of some terrestrial
volcanoes must be looked for. Under a low angle of illumination the
surface presents an extraordinarily rough aspect, well worthy of
examination, but the dusky areas and the black spots can only be
satisfactorily distinguished under a somewhat high sun. I have, however,
seen them fairly well when the W. wall of Reinhold was on the morning
terminator.

MARCO POLO.--A small and very irregularly-shaped enclosure (difficult to
see satisfactorily) on the S. flank of the Apennines. It is hemmed in on
every side by mountains.

ERATOSTHENES.--A noble ring-plain, 38 miles in diameter; a worthy
termination of the Apennines. The best view of it is obtained under
morning illumination when the interior is about half-filled with shadow.
At this phase the many irregular terraces on the inner slope of the E.
wall (which rises at one peak 16,000 feet above an interior depressed
8000 feet below the Mare Imbrium) are seen to the best advantage. The
central mountain is made up of two principal peaks, nearly central, from
which two bright curved hills extend nearly up to the N.W. wall,--the
whole forming a V-shaped arrangement. On the S. there is a narrow break
in the wall, and the S.W. section of it seems to overlap and extend some
distance beyond the S.E. section. The border on the S.W. is remarkable
for the great width of its _glacis_. Eratosthenes exhibits a marked
departure from circularity, especially on the E., where the wall consists
of two well-marked linear sections, with an intermediate portion where
the crest for 20 miles or more bends inwards or towards the centre. From
the S.E. flank of this formation extends towards the W. side of Stadius
one of the grandest mountain arms on the moon's visible surface, rising
at one place 9000 feet, and in two others 5000 and 3000 feet respectively
above the Mare Imbrium. If this magnificent object is observed when the
morning terminator falls a little E. of Stadius, it affords a spectacle
not easily forgotten. I have often seen it at this phase when its broad
mass of shadow extended across the well-known crater-row W. of
Copernicus, some of the component craters appearing between the spires of
shade representing the loftiest peaks on the mountain arm. There is a
prominent little crater on the crest of the arm between two of the peaks,
and another on the plain to the west.

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