{"id":62672,"date":"2024-08-20T07:03:23","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T07:03:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4110e97a-1385-47f7-a736-dc4ea6d3f285"},"modified":"2024-08-20T07:39:44","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T07:39:44","slug":"how-to-see-the-face-on-the-moon-a-play-of-sunlight-and-shadow-over-crater-albategnius","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/how-to-see-the-face-on-the-moon-a-play-of-sunlight-and-shadow-over-crater-albategnius\/","title":{"rendered":"How to see the face on the Moon, a play of sunlight and shadow over crater Albategnius"},"content":{"rendered":"

Explore the face on the Moon by observing Albategnius at the right time. <\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 20 August 2024 at 07:03 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Can you see a face on the Moon?<\/p>

Albategnius is associated with a clair-obscur effect known as the Face in Albategnius <\/strong>that occurs when the morning terminator is close, around first quarter.<\/p>

The shadow of the crater\u2019s eastern rim falls onto the internal floor to resemble the profile of a human face.<\/p>

It shouldn’t need to be pointed out that this is merely an example of face pareidolia, and is one of many clair obscur effects<\/a> that can be seen on the Moon at certain times during the lunar cycle.<\/p>

For more advice, read our guides to the best features on the Moon<\/a> and underrated features on the Moon<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
**Quick facts<\/strong><\/h2>**
**Size: <\/strong>136km<\/li>**
**Longitude\/latitude: <\/strong>4\u00b0 E, 11.2\u00b0 S<\/li>**
**Age: <\/strong>Around 3.9 billion years<\/li>**
**Best time to see: <\/strong>First quarter or six days after full Moon<\/li>**
**Minimum equipment:<\/strong> 10x binoculars<\/li><\/ul>**
What sort of crater is Albategnius?<\/strong><\/h2>
Albategnius is classed as a walled plain because it appears as a flat, lava-filled floor surrounded by a defined wide rim, widest in the west.<\/p>
It\u2019s pretty battered but holds its own quite well, with the exception of a section to the southwest that is interrupted by the lava-filled 45km crater **Klein<\/strong>.<\/p>**
In many respects, Klein appears like a miniature version of Albategnius, its lava floor also surrounded by a relatively wide rim broken in one spot by 9km **Klein A<\/strong> in the northeast section.<\/p>**
**Klein is 1.5km deep and used to be identified as Albategnius A.<\/p>**
**$\"albategnius$**
Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
On renaming A to Klein, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) moved the **Albategnius A <\/strong>designation to a rather lacklustre 7.5km craterlet in the northwest section of Albategnius\u2019s rim.<\/p>**
**This appears to be part of a chain of similar-sized features running north-northeast to south-southwest across the main rim. \u00a0<\/p>**
**Both Albategnius and Klein have central mountain complexes, Klein\u2019s being small and rounded.<\/p>**
**In contrast, the central complex inside Albategnius is impressive, rising 1.7km above the crater\u2019s floor.<\/p>**
**It appears as a central peak with two additional connected mountains stretching to the northeast. It\u2019s quite reminiscent of an overhead view of an island surrounded by sea.\u00a0<\/p>**
Observing Albategnius<\/strong><\/h2>
$\"albategnius$
Diagram showing the location of Albategnius on the Moon. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
If you have a large telescope or are set up for high-resolution imaging, there\u2019s a great challenge here: the large central mountain has a perfectly placed craterlet right at its summit.<\/p>
It\u2019s tiny, measuring just 1.8km across.\u00a0<\/p>
As mentioned, Albategnius\u2019s floor is flat due to it being filled with lava.<\/p>
Under oblique lighting, the lumps and bumps in the floor surface may give a hint at what lies below.<\/p>
Here are the ghosts of lost craters, their existence submerged beneath solidified lava.<\/p>
The apparently smooth floor contains many tiny craterlets, the largest of which are around 2km across, similar to the peak craterlet mentioned above.<\/p>
To the north are five craters appearing in a line: 5.7km Albategnius C<\/strong>, 16.2km Albategnius B<\/strong>, an unnamed 3.6km craterlet within B, 8.5km Albategnius N<\/strong> and 11km **Albategnius H<\/strong>.<\/p>**
**All apart from H sit on the floor of Albategnius, H being located within the northeast rim terraces.<\/p>**
**Albategnius\u2019s rim has some fine terracing that makes the crater look extremely detailed when the Sun is low in its sky, either near lunar dawn or lunar dusk.<\/p>**
**This is also a good time to look out for a series of grooves running north-northwest to south-southeast near the crater and gouging its rim to the northwest and south.<\/p>**
***Have you observed or photographed Albategnius on the Moon? Let us know by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n***
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Quick facts<\/strong><\/h2>Size: <\/strong>136km<\/li>Longitude\/latitude: <\/strong>4\u00b0 E, 11.2\u00b0 S<\/li>Age: <\/strong>Around 3.9 billion years<\/li>Best time to see: <\/strong>First quarter or six days after full Moon<\/li>