{"id":63862,"date":"2024-09-17T09:40:07","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T09:40:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4ba510f9-97ba-404d-bb3b-1501e72ffde0"},"modified":"2024-09-18T09:39:40","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T09:39:40","slug":"sinus-viscositatis-the-bay-of-stickiness","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/sinus-viscositatis-the-bay-of-stickiness\/","title":{"rendered":"Sinus Viscositatis, the Bay of Stickiness"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 17 September 2024 at 09:40 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Chances are you may not have heard of the wonderfully named Sinus Viscositatis<\/strong>, the Bay of Stickiness, its name only being officially sanctioned by the International Astronomical Union on 30 December 2022.<\/p>

Sinus (from the Latin for bay) is not a strictly geological term and in the context of the Moon it refers to features that are basically small plains.<\/p>

Possibly the bay that we\u2019re most familiar with is the semicircular feature on the northwestern shore of 1,250km Mare Imbrium<\/a><\/strong>, namely 400km x 260km Sinus Iridum<\/strong>, the Bay of Rainbows.<\/p>

For more lunar observing, read our pick of the best features to observe on the Moon<\/a> and underrated features<\/a> to observe on the Moon<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Quick facts<\/strong><\/h2>
Size: <\/strong>68km x 50km<\/li>
Longitude\/latitude: <\/strong>41\u00b0 W, 35.2\u00b0 N<\/li>
Age: <\/strong>Around 3.9 billion years<\/li>
Best time to see: <\/strong>Three days after first quarter or two days after last quarter<\/li>
Minimum equipment:<\/strong> 100mm telescope<\/li><\/ul>Diagram showing the location of Sinus Viscositatis, the Bay of Stickiness, on the Moon. Click to expand. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
How to find Sinus Viscositatis<\/strong><\/h2>
Being a large feature, Sinus Iridum is easy to see using binoculars and it\u2019s a distinctive part of the Earth-facing side of the Moon.\u00a0<\/p>
Sinus Viscositatis is significantly smaller and easily overlooked, but Sinus Iridum is a good guide to finding it.<\/p>
$\"Montes$
Montes Jura and Sinus Iridum by John Brady, W. Lancashire, UK. Click to expand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The best time to see Sinus Viscositatis is when the terminator is also optimal for Sinus Iridum.<\/p>
The southern end of Sinus Iridum is marked by a rugged outcrop known as Promontorium Heraclides<\/strong>.<\/p>
This also doubles as the clair-obscur effect<\/a> known as Cassini\u2019s Moon Maiden, which appears four days after first quarter and is supposed to resemble a girl sitting on a rock looking out across the bay.\u00a0<\/p>
Keep heading south from Promontorium Heraclides, along the elevated highland material that borders Mare Imbrium, and it\u2019s at the southern end of this region that you\u2019ll find Sinus Viscositatis.<\/p>
$\"Clair$
Cassini’s Moon Maiden. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Observing Sinus Viscositatis<\/strong> <\/h2>
It\u2019s a curious feature that looks vaguely rectangular in shape, the long axis aligned south-southwest to north-northeast.<\/p>
The south-southwest edge is open and level with the lava boundary floor of 700km x 500km Oceanus Procellarum<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>
The north-northeast edge is open too, a narrow channel of lava heading north-northeast to connect to other unnamed regions of similar flat lava.<\/p>
$\"Labelled$
Labelled photograph showing features in and around Sinus Viscositatis, the Bay of Stickiness, on the Moon. Click to expand. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The channel tracks between two very distinctive lunar domes: Mons Gruithuisen Delta<\/strong> to the east and Mons Gruithuisen Gamma<\/strong> to the west, believed to have formed from thick, viscous silicic lava.<\/p>
As this material flowed, its thickness prevented too much sideways movement and the domes were formed.<\/p>
In contrast, the surface of Sinus Viscositatis is made of basaltic lava which, being thin and runny, created the large expanse of flatness.<\/p>
Mons Gruithuisen Delta rises to a height of around 1.8km and has a diameter of approximately 27km.<\/p>
Mons Gruithusien Gamma is smaller at 20km wide and 1.5km high.<\/p>
Its shape has earned it the less-than-flattering description of looking like an upturned bath tub!<\/p>
$\"Photograph$
Click to expand. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
If you fancy a challenge, there\u2019s a tiny 2.9km craterlet in the central plateau peak of Mons Gruithuisen Gamma.<\/p>
The crater off to the southeast of Mons Gruithuisen Delta is 9.4km Gruithuisen B<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>
The southern portion of Sinus Viscostatis is marked by another dome: 26km x22km Mons Gruithuisen Zeta <\/strong>which appears very pockmarked.<\/p>
The western corner of Sinus Viscostatis is marked by the concentric 6km crater Gruithuisen K<\/strong>.<\/p>
This is a tough feature to see and an interesting target for high-resolution imaging setups, the inner ring of Gruithuisen K being just 1.7km in diameter.<\/p>
Have you photographed or observed Sinus Viscositatis? 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>68km x 50km<\/li>Longitude\/latitude: <\/strong>41\u00b0 W, 35.2\u00b0 N<\/li>Age: <\/strong>Around 3.9 billion years<\/li>Best time to see: <\/strong>Three days after first quarter or two days after last quarter<\/li>