31. Copernicus

One of the best known and most prominent Moon formations is without doubt the crater Copernicus. The system of rays starting at this crater is clearly viable specially across Mare Imbrium. ( See chart 20 and 21) North of Copernicus we see the mountain tops of the Carpathians. In the west we see a cluster of solitary mountain tops hundreds of meters high.

MONTES CARPATUS - The Carpathians. Named so by Mädler. Designation for the mountains on the southern edge of Mare Imbrium.

Montes. (361 km / 224 Mi) (Height max: 2,400m /7,300ft  ) ( 14.5° N, 24.4° W) The east-west running mountain ridge is approximately 360 km long, consisting of mountains, mountain massifs, and deep valleys. The highest ranges from 1,000 to 2,400 meters (see also Charts 19 and 20).

COPERNICUS - Nikolaus Kopernikus. Polish/German Astronomer. (Born at: Torun in 1473 - Died at: Frauenburg in 1543) Canon of Frauenburg in 1479. Doctor of the university of Ferrare in 1503. Author of the "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" in 1543 presenting the heliocentric system in which the Earth and the other planets follow orbits around the Sun.

Crater. (95Km /56Mi ø )(Dept: 3,760m /11,400ft) (9.7° N, 20.0° W) Young, isolated formation, hexagonal shaped. Bright rays all around. Very steep (900 m high ) battered slopes dominating Mare Insularum. and touching Fauth to the South and Gay-Lussac to the North. Floor flatter to the North than to the South. Three central mountains (1,200 m). Hills and chaotic terrain in the arena.

FAUTH -  Philipp Johann Heinrich Fauth ( Born: Germany, March 19, 1867 - Died, Germany, January 4, 1941) German Amateur Astronomer And Selenographer. He compiled an extensive atlas of the Moon.

Crater. (12Km /7Mi ø )(Dept: 1,960m /5,900ft) (6.3° N, 20.1° W) South North lengthened formation constituted by Fauth and Fauth A. Two adjacent craters situated on the South slope of Copernicus. Nicknamed “The Key Hole”. Steep slopes, especially to the North supporting Fauth A to the South. High walls. Small flat floor communicating with that Fault A.

GAY LUSSAC  -  Louis-Joseph Gay-Lussac. (Born: Saint-Léonard de Nob,  France in 1778 - Died : Paris, France in 1850). Physicist and chemist. Discoverer of the Law of the dilation of gases in 1802. Preparation of Kalium, Natrium and many acids. Discovery of halogens.

Crater. ( 27Km /16Mi ø ) (Dept: 830m /2,500ft) (13.9° N, 20.8° W) Battered formation. Steep slopes supporting Gay-Lussac A to the South and Gay Lussac D to the North. Few high walls. jumbled floor. Depressions and hills. Craterlets and rilles.

REINHOLD -  Erasmus Reinhold. (Born; Saalfeld, Germany in 1511 - Died: Saalfeld, Germany in 1553) German Astronomer. Supporter of Copernicus. Made new calculations in support of the heliocentric system.

Crater. (49Km /29Mi ø ) (Dept: 3,260m / 9,900ft) (3.3° N, 22.8° W) Isolated circular formation. Very steep and battered slopes supporting the ghost crater Rheinhold B to the North-East. Very high walls with terraces. Flat floor with small off-centered mountains and craterlets.

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