IWLOP #040 – Rupes Altai

IWLOP #040 – Rupes Altai

This incredible scarp is the continuous southwestern outer rim of the Nectaris Basin. Spectacular at low Sun, it varies from 3.5 - 4.0 km but tapers off and is more broken southward toward the crater Piccolomini and northward past crater Borda.

Location: 16-29 S30-21 E     Origin: Tectonic      Size: 480 km.      Rukl: 57, 59, 46      Type: Scarp

Objects: Rupes Altai, Cyrillus, Catharina, Colombo, Santbech, Tacitus, Kant, Hypatia
Others Identified: Ibn Rushd, Mädler, Mons Penck, Pons, Polybius

Location: Home
Date: 2020-05-28
Time: 11:16 PM ADT
Equipment: 6" Dobsonian, 10 mm eyepiece
Magnification: x120
Seeing: Good (3)
Transparency: Good (3)   

R1:  Rupes Altai was first observed on May 28, 2020 during the waxing crescent phase when it was well-lit. It was again observed on March 21, 2021 during the 1st Quarter when observing Piccolomini (IWLOP #031).
R2: The ridge between Cyrillus and Catharina is rugged in appearance and continuous. The ridge between Colombo and Santbech is broken by a smoother ridge below Colombo with a well worn crater and flood plain (?) closer to Santbech.

C1: Tacitus, Kant and Hypatia were located. Altai Scarp appeared continuous in the SE portion but appeared worn/non-existent as it continued N towards Tacitus, Kant and Hypatia.

Note: Rupes Altai was first noticed because of the well-lit Altai Scarp; it wasn't in shadow.

 

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