August 31, 2020: Rock Layers on the Moon

With the Full Moon occurring overnight, this is a great time to view some of the larger features such as mountain ranges, lunar seas (or “mare,” ancient lava flows) and prominent impact craters. We’ll be hitting some highlights this week as the Moon traverses further eastward each night, rising later into the evening.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has created an thoroughly detailed map showing the rock layers on the Moon by combining detailed radar maps from the Apollo era with laser altimeter measurements from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), along with some topography gathered by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Selene mission.

Read about (and download) this incredible map here:

New, Incredibly Detailed Geologic Map of the Moon - Sky & Telescope

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a new map of the Moon - and the glimpse above only hints at its riches. If you want to see the map in full detail, and a full legend showing what the colors indicate - both highly recommended!

Join us Wednesday 9/2 @ 6:00 PM for another virtual event on the space program “Apollo: Getting Home.” Email LBmartin@cityofwestminster.us to register for this free virtual program.

Check back each weekday @ 5:00 pm for more observing guides and science news!

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Stay well, and clear skies!