This image shows the crater-dense south polar region of the moon. The prominent crater in the upper center with the illuminated peak is Moretus (diameter 70 miles). Just below it is the simple crater Cysatus (diameter 30 miles), and to the left of it is the crater Gruemberger (diamter 59 miles).
Another interesting feature of this image is the Clavius walled plain, which is the interior of the large crater Clavius (diameter 140 miles) in the lower left corner. Clavius is the third largest crater on the side of the Moon facing the Earth, and is notable because of its interesting central plain. Note the four small craters the form an arc of decreasing size in the center of this plain--these are the craters Clavius C, Clavius D, Clavius N, and Clavius J. The smallest of these is Clavius J, with a diameter of 6.8 miles. Using this as a benchmark, you can readily identify craters in this image that are less than one mile in diameter.
The two large craters on the rim of Clavius are Porter (top) and Rutherford (bottom). Both have a diameter of 30 miles. The large crater immediately above Clavius is Blancanus (diameter 64 miles).
Note the "terracing" that is readily visible along the perimeters of several craters. This is caused by the gradual deterioration of crater walls due to the inexorable effect of gravity over long periods of time.
The Clavius crater was the site of an inhabited lunar base in Arthur C. Clarke's novel, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Moon: South Polar Region
Date Taken:October 10, 2008
Location Taken: Conditions of Location: Equipment Used:14.5" Ritchey-Chretien, Lumenera SKYnyx 2.1 camera
Processing Used:2,000 images, optimized and stacked using Registax, final processing with Photoshop
Distance from Location: Constellation: Other Link: