A resource to help lunar observers

[lee g]

Hi just in case there are any lunar observers who are not aware of it I came across this virtual map at quickmap and you can zoom in really close on most areas.

https://quickmap.lroc.asu.edu/?extent=-90,-30.2535655,90,23.5177033&proj=10&layers=NrBsFYBoAZIRnpEoAsjYIHYFcA2vIBvAXwF1SizSg

 

 

[Stu]

2 hours ago, lee g said:

Hi just in case there are any lunar observers who are not aware of it I came across this virtual map at quickmap and you can zoom in really close on most areas.

https://quickmap.lroc.asu.edu/?extent=-90,-30.2535655,90,23.5177033&proj=10&layers=NrBsFYBoAZIRnpEoAsjYIHYFcA2vIBvAXwF1SizSg

 

 

Thanks Lee, I’ve seen it in the past but had forgotten about it. Great to have a link to it saved now.

[John]

Amazing how much detail you can go down to with that tool - I got down to boulders about 5 meters across sitting in the bottom of the Hadley Rille !

 

 

[lee g]

Yeah I know I was the same, I picked the smallest crater and zoomed in so close that I found craters within that crater.

 

[Ruud]

I really like quickmap, although I mostly use the Google Earth Moon map to identifying features I see through the telescope. (For the sheer beauty of its paint brushed maps.) The map is here:
          Menu: View > Explore > Moon
          Sidebar: Moon gallery: Historical maps > Topographic charts.
Many years ago Times published the same charts that Google Earth uses in The Times Atlas of the Moon, my all time favourite Moon atlas. You can download Google Earth Pro for free.

Quickmap stays the best though for its depth of detail. Its 3D globe is absolutely amazing too. (see here).  It has a fly-around-a-feature option. To activate it click on the  middle tool button at the right hand side of the window, then double click somewhere on the globe. Use the mouse wheel to zoom, and for different views drag and shift-drag the map. Here is an example.)

About Mars: a few moths back I got a Mova Mars globe (the link is to a short video). It's a small but detailed globe and the way it spins looks totally miraculous. There are no labels on it though, so I've been looking for a good Mars map. I would really like it if the university of Arizona also made a Mars quickmap!  Right now I am again using Google Earth for its Mars maps:
            Menu: View > Explore > Mars
            Sidebar: Global maps > Viking
Again historic but very useful. From the global Mars maps I also like the Colourised Terrain.

If anyone know a better tool for Mars I'd be much obliged!

[Stu]

5 hours ago, John said:

Amazing how much detail you can go down to with that tool - I got down to boulders about 5 meters across sitting in the bottom of the Hadley Rille !

 

 

Yes, I think @mikeDnight was sketching those recently through his DZ wasn’t he?.....

 

My sincere apologies Mike, I couldn’t resist 😉🤣

[PeterW]

A chap in the US recently stu he’s together the Apollo hand drawn charts, don’t cover the extreme limb regions, but good to be able to move between them with a realistic projection.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/711469-whole-moon-lac-chart/#entry10245763
virtual moon atlas 7 is now out too, lots to play withhttp://ap-i.net/avl/en/start

 

peter