IWLOP #043 – Plinius
Complex crater with multiple central mountains. Appearance changes considerably under different lighting conditions. The darker area around the arcuate rilles highlight lava flows that predate the brighter lava of the sunken inner parts of the Mare Serenitatis Basin.
Location: 15.4 N 23.7 E Origin: Impact Size: 43 km Rukl: 24 Type: Complex Crater (CC)
Objects: Plinius, Rimae Plinius, Promontorium Archerusia, Dawes
Others Identified: Al-Bakri, Carrel, Maclear, Ross
Location: Home
Date: 2021-04-19
Time: 8:43 PM ADT
Equipment: 10" Meade SCT
Eyepiece: Explore Scientific 4.7mm with 82° FOV + x2 Barlow
Magnification: x1060
Seeing: Very Good (4)
Transparency: Good (3)
R1: Plinius has a rounded central peak like a mini-crater, i.e., raised circular rim with an opening in the SW. West floor and wall of rim appears lighter than those of the east side and there may be 'hills' in the north.
C1: Ejecta blanket is on all side of Plinius. Refer to R1 regarding the hills.
C2: The arcuate rilles (including Rimae Plinius) north of Plinius appear to follow the "rim" of Mare Serenitatis.
C3: The Promontorium Archerusia has a high ridge that follows the rim of Mare Serenitatis; perhaps craters have also impacted the ridge. Dawes appears to have a large area surrounding it that is lighter than the surrounding mare floors; it also has a central peak.
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