NAVIGATING MARE NUBIUM

Mare Nubium is lengthened North South formation. It is separated in two similar parts by Promontorium Taenarium. Contains few wrinkle ridges and rilles. It can be best observed 1 day after first quarter moon. Minimum instrument required to observe Mare Imbrium is 10x50 binocular. But to observe other features within Mare Imbrium requires 3-inch refractor. Mare Imbrium extent about 772x772Km. Its location in the moon is, Longitude: 15.0° West, Latitude: 10.0° South, Quadrant: South-West. I have held my observation through my 8-inch Newtonian reflector and observed few interesting features within Mare Imbrium.

BULLIALDUS: Bullialdus is a crater of Eratosthenian period. Its dimension is 63x63Km. Its an Isolated circular formation situated on the West bank of Mare Nubium. It is Very steep and tormented slopes supporting the craterlets Bullialdus L to the West Bullialdus E to the South-West and crater Bullialdus A and B to the South.

BULLIALDUS A: This is a small crater located some 18 Km from Bullialdus. Its dimension is 26x26 Km.

BULLIALDUS B: This 21x21 Km crater is in pair with Bullialdus A.

KIES: Kies is a crater of dimension 46x46 Km. It is Isolated circular formation almost ghost. Its flat floor is filled with the lava of Mare Nubium.

BIRT: This is a STRAIGHT WALL: Also known as RUPES RECTA. This is a 110 Km wide straight wall, one of the best known lunar faults. It is situated on the East bank of Mare Nubium.

PITATUS: This crater is believed to be Nectarian (From -3.92 billions years to -3.85 Billions years). Its dimension is 100x100 Km. It’s a circular formation situated on the South bank of Mare Nubium. Few high walls of riddled with anonymous craterlets. The map shows the position of Bullialdus and Pitatus. Through my 8-inch Newtonian at 160x using dense grey moon filter, I was able to observe all these features described above. I viewed on 18th January at 4:30am.

- Rahul Zota (Bhuj-India)