Contains:  Solar system body or event
Crater Kepler, Niall MacNeill

Crater Kepler

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging
Crater Kepler, Niall MacNeill

Crater Kepler

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging

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Description

This is a colour image of the crater Kepler and the terrain (lunain) to its west. The ray system from this crater extends for well over 300kms and its intricate detail is visible here. I find the subtle shading and patterns across this area a beautiful sight.

The subtle colour tones in this landscape as part of Oceanus Procellarum are just wonderful. Around the crater and to its left (east) there is a distinctly greenish hue but on the other side it is more blue/ grey. At the edge of the FOV and I regret not getting the whole thing in, is the white stain known as Reiner Gamma. It is known as a lunar swirl and is just a stain on the lunar surface. Its origin is not completely understood and it is associated with a localised magnetic field, but not with any particular irregularities on the surface. It is believed that the shape is caused by magnetic anomalies which direct the solar radiation towards some areas and away from others, which influence the rate of solar weathering and hence the colour of the topography. The crater Reiner is to its left in the image.

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Crater Kepler, Niall MacNeill