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Credit & Copyright: Luigi Morrone
Explanation:
The dark-floored, 95 kilometer wide crater Plato and sunlit peaks of the
lunar Alps
(Montes Alpes) are highlighted in this
this
sharp telescopic snapshot of the Moon's surface.
While the Alps
of planet Earth were uplifted over millions of
years as continental plates slowly collided, the lunar Alps were likely
formed by a sudden collision that created the giant
impact basin
known as the Mare Imbrium or Sea of Rains.
The mare's generally smooth, lava-flooded floor is seen
below the bordering mountain range.
The prominent straight feature cutting through the mountains
is the lunar Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes).
Joining the Mare Imbrium and northern Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold)
the valley extends toward the upper right, about 160 kilometers long
and up to 10 kilometers wide.
Of course, the large, bright
lunar alpine
mountain below and right of Plato crater is named
Mont Blanc.
Lacking an atmosphere, not to mention snow,
the lunar Alps are probably not an ideal location for a winter
vacation.
Still, a 150 pound skier
would
weigh a mere 25 pounds
on the Moon.
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January |
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A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: lunar surface - impact crater
Publications with words: lunar surface - impact crater
See also: