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 Moons 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 Features|Lunar 100|Moon Halos|Lunar Webcam Imaging|Lunar Eclipses

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	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	13 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.
52. Cruger	13.1 days
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	10.8 days
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	20.67 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.
58. Rheita Valley	7.5 days
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.