Contains:  Solar system body or event
Messier - The Lunar comet, MAILLARD

Messier - The Lunar comet

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging
Messier - The Lunar comet, MAILLARD

Messier - The Lunar comet

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging

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Description

On the 4th day after the full moon, the time is ideal to spot on the vast expanse of the Sea of Fertility (Mare Fecunditatis), the pair of craters Messier and Messier A starting point of two clear trails (120 km) like a double comet tail.

Messier is an oval crater (9x11 km), Messier A (11x13 km) is composed of two circular craters, the youngest of the two straddling the oldest that is smaller.

After centuries of imaginary or fantastic explanations NASA scientists have been able to reproduce in the laboratory each of the characteristics of this strange pair of craters.

A shaving impact (1 to 5 degrees) of a projectile excavated Messier (explaining its stretched shape and the classic shape of the "butterfly wing" ejectas) and another projectile ricocheted to form Messier A and its long rays.

Technically, I selected the best images from 3 videos of 2 minutes each.

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Messier - The Lunar comet, MAILLARD