Kepler ray system: LPOD & AAPOD

[arbacia]

Today, july 12 has been selected as Amateur Astronomy Picture of the Day one of my photos of the ray system of the crater Kepler

the ejecta ray system and blanket of Kepler strongly contrast against the dark basaltic material of Oceanus Procellarum. When the asteroid impact, the ejected material reflect the stratigraphic sequence: the original surface materials become deposited far awy from the rim of the crater, however, the deepest materials at the very bottom of the transient cavity are dopiseted near the rim. Thus, the rays of ejecta can be interpreted as a geological survey. What we found in the ejecta of Kepler is a great uniformity since all the ejecta are basaltic debris. By the geometry of the impact kinetic it is possible to estimater that the transient crater goes as deep as 6km beneath the surface and still did not pass all the Mare material of Procellarum basalt, therefore, at this point, basalts deposits are, at least, 6km thick.

Further comments on the geology of this impact at my web site: http://www.astrosurf.com/patricio/luna/kepler.htm

The same picture but with a more agresive enhancing was selected as Lunar Photo of the Day (LPOD) last june 9, 2012:

Other day I got this picture near the terminator:

That combined with the first shows the extension of the ray system and texture topography details

Eventually I create this geologic chart:

Where the Formation Fra Mauro appears in blue, Domes in Orange and eject mantle in yellow. Note the dome Kepler 1

Clear Skies

Patricio

[petek314]

The images are great. What a good idea combining images taken at different stages of illumination. It certainly shows up the topography of the area. This has inspired me to have a go myself. Thanks for posting.

[HnrKS]

Beautiful contrast!

[arbacia]

Many tanks.

To combine images taken in different days you can use Lunar Terminator Visualization Tool (LTVT) http://the-moon.wikispaces.com/LTVT

I made that using a deformaton grid of the ray picture in Photoshop

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Congrats on being selected for AAPOD! Well deserved.