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Lunar Domes Classification and Physical Properties by Raffaello Lena ………………………………………………..62

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Selenology Today is devoted to the publication of contributions in the field of lunar studies. Editor-in-Chief: Manuscripts reporting the results of new research concerning the R. Lena astronomy, geology, physics, chemistry and other scientific Editors: aspects of Earth’s Moon are welcome. M.T. Bregante Selenology Today publishes C. Kapral papers devoted exclusively to the Moon. F. Lottero Reviews, historical papers J. Phillips and manuscripts describing observing or spacecraft P. Salimbeni instrumentation are considered. C. Wöhler C. Wood The Selenology Today Editorial Office [email protected] Selenology Today # 5 April 2007 SELENOLOGY TODAY #5 April 2007 Cover : Image taken by Gerardo Sbarufatti, Schmidt Cassegrain 200 mm f/10. Selenology Today websites http://digilander.libero.it/glrgroup/ http://www.selenologytoday.com/ Messier, Messier A and surrounding Mare Fecunditatis by Alexander Vandenbohede …………………………………..1 Crater depths from the Apollo era to the present by Kurt Allen Fisher …………………………………………….17 Lunar domes classification and physical properties by Raffaello Lena ………………………………………………..62 Selenology Today # 5 April 2007 TOPOGRAPHY SELENOLOGY TODAY # 5 Messier, Messier A and clusters, nebulae, galaxies etc. Charles surrounding Mare Fecunditatis Messier (1730 – 1817). Messier A has a by Alexander Vandenbohede diameter of 11 x 13 km and a depth of Association for Lunar and Planetary 2250 m. Both craters fall in the category Observers – Lunar Section of small craters (less than 15 – 20 km). However, their shape is atypical for these small and in most cases simple Abstract bowl shaped craters. Also atypical is the shape of the ejecta deposits, which is Messier and Messier A (formerly called highly asymmetrical. Messier features a Pickering) form an interesting crater pair butterfly-type of ray system with situated on the western part of Mare Fe- deposits towards the north and south of cunditatis. The shape of both craters is the crater. Messier A shows the well- irregular resulting in intriguing changing know comet-type ray system with two views during a lunation. Also, both cra- major rays between the crater and the ters show highly asymmetrical ejecta adjacent highland area. Because of these deposits. Messier is centre of a butterfly- peculiar ejecta deposits, the ray system type of ray system and a comet-type ray is under study in the International Bright system stretches from Messier A to- Lunar Rays Project. First results of this wards the border of the mare. Classic were summarised by Dembowski lunar observers had some very imagina- (2003). tive explanations for these characteris- The geological map of the area (figure 1) tics. A low angle impact, however, is indicates both craters of Copernican age now generally thought to be the reason (Elston, 1974). Towards the north and for the observed morphology of the south of the craters low ropy ridges Messier crater pair. The aim of the arti- subradial to the craters are mapped cle is to overview the geology and mor- (yellow, Cerr on map). Normally, this phology of the region. This is done us- terrain is found axial-symmetric around ing spacecraft and Earth-based images. an impact crater. Here, this zone is elongated north-south around both craters. The mare surface itself is of Imbrium age. West of Messier A is a system of low mare ridges. Two circular systems of mare ridges are present. These must be Introduction buried craters (so called ghost craters). Messier and Messier A are a remarkable North of Lubbock, there is a rille, part of crater pair situated on the western part of the Rimae Goclenius. North-west of Mare Fecunditatis (figure 1). Messier is Messier A a small rima, Rima Messier, is the eastern crater of the pair, Messier A visible. This is a delicate and difficult to the western crater. Messier has an oval observe feature. A dome is indicated just shape with a diameter of 9 x 11 km and north of the small crater west of Rima a depth of 1900 m. It is named after the Messier on Rükl’s map. famous French comet observer and Besides the interesting ejecta deposit, author of the Messier catalogue of star Messier and Messier A were also known page 1 TOPOGRAPHY SELENOLOGY TODAY # 5 to the classic selenologists for their of the two. Lohrman (1796-1840) draws changing appearance throughout a Messier as an ellipse and Messier A as lunation. These aspects were subject of circle. According to Elger (1838-1897), much spirited discussion among them. Messier A is more triangular than The aim of this paper is to describe the Messier. W.H. Pickering (1858-1938) different aspects of the crater pair gave a nice description of the variations (morphology, causes of the changing (from Sheenan and Dobbins, 2001): appearance, distribution and nature of “Sometimes one of these craters is the the ejecta deposits) and to discus the larger and sometimes the other. formation mechanism of this all. This Sometimes they are triangular and is done with imagery from different sometimes elliptical in shape. When spacecraft orbiting the Moon and with elliptical their major axes are sometimes Earth-based amateur images. The latter parallel and sometimes perpendicular to illustrate what an amateur lunar one another. When the sun first rises on observer can see of the interesting them they are of the same brilliance as geological story this part of the Moon the mare upon which they are situated, has to offer. but three days later they both suddenly turn white, and remain so until the end Changing view of Messier and of the lunation. When first seen the white Messier A areas are comparatively large, Historical background especially that surrounding Messier Schröter (1745-1816) was the first to itself, but it gradually diminishes in size draw attention to the curious variations under the sun’s rays.” in apparent shape and relative size of the The cause of all these changes was quite crater pair under changing illumination. enigmatic and very few observers were These variations were thoroughly convinced that both craters actually went confirmed by Gruithuisen (1774-1852). through these seemingly chaotic Also Webb (1807-1885), Neison (1849- changes. This was so until W.H. 1940) and Elger (1838-1897) have Pickering noticed in 1892 that the crater described their changing nature. pair changes in the same way during Interestingly, Beer (1797-1850) and every lunation. For instance, 5 and 9 Mädler (1794-1874) never did so. They days after local sunrise, the two craters described them as “alike two peas in a look almost identical just like Beer and pod” although they claimed to have Mädler have described. W.H. Pickering inspected the formation no fewer than thought that the cause for the alterations 300 times between 1829 and 1837. And was the alternate evaporation and although Beer and Mädler described the deposition of frost. Most of his two as being alike, their map showed contemporaries, however, were differences between them. Messier is convinced that differences in lighting drawn smaller than Messier A. combined with peculiar topography Gruithuisen already noted this difference were sufficient to explain the in diameter and he also draws Messier A differences. A hint about this peculiar larger than Messier. Interestingly, topography can be seen of the 1874 map Schröter depicts Messier as the largest of Julius Schmidt (1825-1884). Messier page 2 TOPOGRAPHY SELENOLOGY TODAY # 5 Figure 1 Localisation map (from Rükl, 1996) and geological map (from Elston, 1972). Figure 2 The changing shape of Messier A (right) and Messier (Wanders, 1949). The time indicates the number of days since sunrise over the crater pair. page 3 TOPOGRAPHY SELENOLOGY TODAY # 5 is drawn as an ellipse with its long axis low early lighting Messier A1 is oriented east-west. Messier A is circular relatively bright against Messier A2 but with a crescent shaped wall along its which is still filled with shadow. This western side. This topography is also gives Messier A its characteristic visible on the map of Krieger (1865- triangular shape. This brightness of A1 1902). The change during a lunation is relative to A2 diminishes in function of due to the fact that this crescent shaped the rising sun. Meanwhile the shadow in wall becomes gradually invisible. Messier A2 diminishes. Its western inner During this process Messier A can be wall becomes bright but here two bright seen as circular, triangular and elliptical. parts can be observed divided by a less Size changes are attributed to the fact bright zone. Thereafter Messier A1 that the space between Messier A and becomes less visible and is almost lost the crescent shaped wall is or is not against the immediate surroundings so filled with shadow. To conclude this that what remains of Messier A assumes historical overview of observations, it is the shape of a north-south oriented oval. quite remarkable that such observers as According to the drawings of Wanders Beer and Mädler described the pair as (1949) the triangular shape is visible equal. Most of their 300 observations until about 8 days after local sunrise. were perhaps focused on the comet-like Under a high sun, Messier A is seen as a tail of Messier A and did they only bright ellipse with a slightly less bright occasionally observe the craters interior. During sunset over Messier A, themselves? the opposite happens. The Messier A1 is Crater pair morphology filled with shadow as is the western part As was first indicated by W.H. of Messier A2 and a triangular shape is Pickering, the observed variations are again visible. The western outer wall of optical illusion originating in the Messier A2 is still visible so that these peculiar morphology of the craters and two shadows are clearly separated.
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