Lunar Surface
Note 14
Maria
- singular (mare) – latin for sea but no water
on moon
- dark areas, smooth lowlands
ex. Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains)
Mare Tranquillitatus (Sea of Tranquility)
Highlands
- bright, densely cratered areas
- make up most of moon (including all of
back)
- older than maria
Craters
- produced by impact from meteors
- younger craters still have rays radiating
from impact
- more craters on moon than earth because
meteorites burn up in our atmosphere or
craters are weathered here
Impact Crater
The moon also has the remnants of earthquake
faults where the land shifted (called scarps)
Regolith
- gray, unconsolidated debris
- made of igneous rocks: volcanic glass
beads, dust
- Apollo astronauts found it was 10 feet thick
Footprint on the Moon
(From Apollo 11 Mission)
Check your Understanding!
What are the crater walls made from?
Which crater is older, the little one or the big
one? How do you know?
1. The dark area that is labeled Oceanus
Procellarium is what kind of lunar feature?
2. What are the lines around the crater and
what do they tell us about the crater age?