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Despite their monstrous sizes, you will need a telescope to get the full benefit of spotting these incredible landmarks. It also would not be the rocky world we have come to know without the majestic mountains (opens in new tab) that rise out of its dry, dusty surface (opens in new tab) and team up to form gigantic mountain ranges stretching out anywhere from 31 to 491 miles (50 to 790 kilometers) in diameter. The lunar surface would not be complete without its ridges, valleys, and faults. However, if you find that you are struggling, then a good pair of binoculars will help you. Most of these features can be seen when the moon is full or close to full and with the naked eye. These seas are also fairly dark and less reflective of the sun’s light than the light grey areas that surround them-this is all down to the rich amounts of iron found in these lunar seas.īut it’s not all great seas, if you look carefully enough, you can also spot some of the smaller lakes, marshes, and bays that litter the lunar surface. They are the first thing you are likely to spot when you gaze upon the moon’s surface, making that pattern that we often refer to as the Man or Rabbit in the moon the moon’s seas or, as astronomers call them, lunar maria.īut unlike our planet, and what early stargazers thought, these are not vast bodies of water that we’re used to, these are the plains of our companion’s very active past the mark of volcanic eruptions between some 3 and 3.5 billion years ago that have spewed out lava, rapidly cooling to form stretches of grey basaltic rock. Related: Why is the far side of the moon so weird? Scientists may have solved a lunar mystery (opens in new tab) Setting sail on the lunar seas Because of the angle of the Earth to the moon, you’d be hard-pressed to spot anything interesting on the moon’s far side, but it is certainly worth looking out for. However, it is not always entirely hidden, sometimes the interaction between the moon and Earth causes our satellite to rock backwards and forwards in a motion known as libration, revealing about 9% more of its surface, and showing different halves at different times. This is because our rocky companion spins on its axis at around the same time that it takes to orbit the Earth. However, there is something that our moon likes to keep relatively hidden from us-its far side the face we never see. Īll About Space (opens in new tab) magazine takes you on an awe-inspiring journey through our solar system and beyond, from the amazing technology and spacecraft that enables humanity to venture into orbit, to the complexities of space science. This article is brought to you by All About Space (opens in new tab).
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