Friday 1 August 2008

The Moon Maiden

The Moon Maiden

The Moon Maiden

Along the northwestern reaches of th lunarnear side, th Sinus Iridumor Bay of Rainbows appropriatelylies at the edge of the Moon's smooth, dark Sea of Rains (Mare Imbrium).In this sketch ofthe lunar surface around th Bay of Rainbows,the sun shines from the left, illuminating thearcing wall of the lava-floored bay.The bay's Cape Heraclides, seen here at the top of the sunlit arc,has been historically depicted as a moon maiden whosehair streams behind her as she gazes sunward across the bay.In the original Moon race - the rac to mapthe Moon - this moonmaiden first appeared i telescope-baseddrawings of the lunarsurface by astronome GiovanniCassini in 1679.Still gazing across the lunar bay, the moon maiden inspiredthis drawingby modern day astronomer, Lucy Whitehouse.Done when she was 14, her sketch of the intriguing feature was madefrom the countryside in northern England aidedby a telescope equipped with a digitalimaging eyepiece and a small television screen.

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