a. Using your text as a reference, describe the origin of the lunar maria. Note:

Question

a. Using your text as a reference, describe the origin of the lunar maria.

Note: The number of impact craters within an area can give an estimate to the age of the surface. Basically, the more craters present the older the surface.

b. Examine the number of craters located on the lunar terrae and compare them to the maria . Which area is younger?

c. Examine Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Serenitatis. Which one is older?

d. What is the origin of the bright rays that radiate from craters like Copernicus and Kepler?

Note: Another way to date features is to look for overlapping. When one crater and or its ejecta overlaps, cuts into or covers, another crater it is younger in age.

e. Examine the Craters Kepler and Mee. Which one is younger in age?

Note: Crater rims become rounded after long periods of bombardment by sand sized particles (micrometeorites). Therefore, sharpness of a craters rim ca also be used as an indication of its age.

f. Examine the Craters Tycho and Archimedes. Compare the sharpness of there rims with other and determine which one is younger?

Explanation / Answer

Answer a. The lunar Maria are the dark basaltic regions seen on the surface of the moon. These dark regions were formed by volcanic eruptions and have now subsequently become extinct.

Answer b. The lunar Maria are younger. This is deduced by the fact that the younger regions of the moon will have less number of visible crater impacts. If you see the lunar terrae (the brighter, whiter region of the moon), you can see an astounding number of crater impacts here as compared to those seen on the darker Maria region. Volcanic eruptions that formed the Maria wiped out the crater impacts and hence the lunar Maria is younger.

Answer c. Mare Serenitatis is older than Oceanus Procellarum. Mare Serenitatis dates back to around 3.9 billion years old while Oceanus Procellarum dates back to around 1.5 billion years ago.

Answer d. The origin of the bright rays around the Copernicus and Kepler craters are from the craters themselves. These rays are formed by the ejecta that comprises of the material misplaced from the surface of the impacted body during an asteroid impact.  The expulsion of the ejecta is in a radial manner and that is why these bright rays have a radial orientation around the point of the impact.

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