The moon : $b a full description and map of its principal physical featuresElger, Thomas Gwyn
Science
The moon : $b a full description and map of its principal physical features
Elger, Thomas Gwyn
Moon
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.
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