An Illuminated Letter "D" (lunar)

[Macavity]

After a hard day "throwing" concrete slabs around For (Macavity's StarPad), I almost gave it a miss, despite clear skies. But now glad I relented as I was rewarded with a magnificant view of sunrise on the Sinus Iridum(?) - Rather like some vast illuminated-manuscript letter "D". <G> But I hadn't imagined that bright features projected so FAR into the darkened hemisphere...

I did casually wonder how LONG it might take for the suns rays to progress along the floor of this feature... But then a nice hot bath beckoned!

[Talitha]

Hi Chris, did you happen to catch The Moon Maiden?

Here's a sequence i captured a number of years ago of sunlight slowly pouring over Montes Jura (the 'D' you saw). I regret not noting the times the frames were taken, but it took several hours. The terminator creeps along at 1/2 degree per hour at the lunar equator though, so it's understandably slower as you go towards the poles.

[Macavity]

Hi Chris, did you happen to catch The Moon Maiden?

Hi Carol. Well, I'll certainly keep an eye open for her in the future.

Thanks for the sequence and thoughts.

But <thinking> as a previously only casual Lunar observer, it might be a useful key to "learning" the Moon. Find something (personally, and visually) interesting and take it from there...

Aside: Wahey! Just managed to re-locate my SECOND ever (and first serious!) Astronomy book: D.H. Menzel's "Field Guide to the Stars and Planets" (1966). But it does constain a rather appealing and useful PHOTOGRAPHIC Atlas to the Moon... Perhaps a job for the modern Laminater thingie.

[jgs001]

Sounds like a lovely sight Chris