Mare Undarum
Encyclopedia
Mare Undarum is an uneven lunar mare
located just north of Mare Spumans
on the lunar near side, between the crater Firmicus
and the eastern limb. It is one of the many elevated lakes contained in the Crisium basin, surrounding Mare Crisium
. The selenographic coordinates of this mare are 6.8° N, 68.4° E. It has a maximum diameter of 243 km.
The surrounding basin material is of the Nectarian
epoch
, with the mare basalt
being of the Upper Imbrian
epoch. The crater Dubyago
can be seen on the southern edge of the mare. On the northeastern edge of the mare is the crater Condorcet P.
When Mädler
observed this area in the 1830s, he noted variations in the curved dark streaks that form this mare, leading him to speculate that the changes were caused by vegetation.
's novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
. The exact location of the catapult was kept secret and was "A matter of Lunar national security."
Lunar mare
The lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
located just north of Mare Spumans
Mare Spumans
Mare Spumans is a lunar mare located just south of Mare Undarum on the lunar near side. It is one of the many elevated lakes contained in the Crisium basin, surrounding Mare Crisium. The surrounding basin material is of the Nectarian epoch, while the mare basalt being of the Upper Imbrian epoch...
on the lunar near side, between the crater Firmicus
Firmicus (crater)
Firmicus is a lunar crater that lies in the eastern part of the Moon's near side, so that from Earth it appears oval in shape due to foreshortening. It is, however, very nearly circular. The crater is located to the west of the Mare Undarum, and northeast of the similar-sized crater Apollonius. To...
and the eastern limb. It is one of the many elevated lakes contained in the Crisium basin, surrounding Mare Crisium
Mare Crisium
Mare Crisium is a lunar mare located in the Moon's Crisium basin, just northeast of Mare Tranquillitatis. This basin is of the Pre-Imbrian period, 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago. This mare is in diameter, and 176,000 km2 in area. It has a very flat floor, with a ring of wrinkled ridges...
. The selenographic coordinates of this mare are 6.8° N, 68.4° E. It has a maximum diameter of 243 km.
The surrounding basin material is of the Nectarian
Nectarian
The Nectarian Period of the lunar geologic timescale runs from 3920 million years ago to 3850 million years ago. It is the period during which the Nectaris Basin and other major basins were formed by large impact events...
epoch
Epoch (geology)
An epoch is a subdivision of the geologic timescale based on rock layering. In order, the higher subdivisions are periods, eras and eons. We are currently living in the Holocene epoch...
, with the mare basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
being of the Upper Imbrian
Upper Imbrian
In the Lunar geologic timescale, the Late Imbrian epoch occurred between 3800 million years ago to about 3200 million years ago. It was the epoch during which the mantle below the lunar basins partially melted and filled them with basalt...
epoch. The crater Dubyago
Dubyago (crater)
Dubyago is a lunar crater that lies in the eastern limb of the Moon, and it appears significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth. It lies along the southern shore of the Mare Undarum, to the southeast of the crater Firmicus....
can be seen on the southern edge of the mare. On the northeastern edge of the mare is the crater Condorcet P.
When Mädler
Johann Heinrich von Mädler
Johann Heinrich von Mädler was a German astronomer.He was orphaned at age 19 by an outbreak of typhus, and found himself responsible for raising three younger sisters...
observed this area in the 1830s, he noted variations in the curved dark streaks that form this mare, leading him to speculate that the changes were caused by vegetation.
Fictional References
Mare Undarum was the location of the second catapult in Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
's novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, about a lunar colony's revolt against rule from Earth....
. The exact location of the catapult was kept secret and was "A matter of Lunar national security."