Light and shadows making shapes we see.

[maw lod qan]

This morning at about 3:30 am I looked at the area of Montes Apenninus for almost an hour.

Viewing was very good, the moon placed well for me to get comfortable at the eyepiece. 

As I watched craters changing as the terminator moved across them a shape caught my eyes. 

There was an elephant! It's head and trunk lifted up to the sky. I just watched, till it gradually wasn't an elephant anymore. 

So, I had to find what I was seeing. Lucky for me I bought the duplex moon atlas.

On page 21 of the green section you'll see Rima Bradley. Just below the end of the words, look at the high area amidst all the clutter.

You have to let your minds eye work. 

The light and shadows were perfect at that moment. Even in this image on the page, there is a dark area between its legs, more towards the center is a high area forming a head, with the trunk continuing.

I know it was nothing but the way the sun illuminated the hills and valleys.

But there was my elephant on the moon standing on the plains of the moon, the mountains behind it.

[bosun21]

I can see the basic shape you are referring to and describe. Light and shadows can most definitely highlight and enhance these shapes in our minds eye. I will now be looking for my own elephant when next revisiting this area.

[RT65CB-SWL]

That’ll be the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s Fifth Elephant...

 

@maw lod qan have you seen this topic?

 

[maw lod qan]

No I haven't.

I see the rabbit's face!

I usually see things easily. That's how I found many Indian artifacts, flint, cheap and coral points while farming. That doesn't always apply with astronomy. 

But the elephant stood out!