Wednesday, 26 September 2012

The Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes)

Northern Hemisphere of the Moon
(Taken from my backyard)


Vallis Alpes is a lunar valley feature that bisects the Montes Alpes range. It extends 166 km from the Mare Imbrium basin, trending east-northeast to the edge of the Mare Frigoris. The valley is narrow at both ends and widens to a maximum width of about 10 km along the middle stretch. 
The valley floor is a flat, lava-flooded surface that is bisected by a slender, cleft-like rille. (This cleft is a challenging target for telescope observation from the Earth.) The sides of the valley rise from the floor to the surrounding highland terrain, a blocky, irregular surface. The southern face of the valley is straighter than the northern side, which is slightly bowed and uneven. The more rugged edges of the valley lie at the narrow west-southwest end that cuts through the mountain range. Most likely this valley is a graben that was subsequently flooded with magma from Mare Imbrium and Mare Frigoris.
 (Credit Wikipedia)
Location of the Alpine Valley



Enlargement of my image
View of Alpine Valley
taken by Lunar Prospector 5
(NASA)

A Grand Day Out (Credits Wikipedia, NASA, Nick Park)



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