|
Overview
Instruments
Lunar Atlas
Lunar Geology
Phases of
the Moon
Results
|
 |
Back
Mare Marginis
Mare Marginis lies on the very edge of the lunar nearside. Thus, it lies halfway
between the lunar nearside and farside. It also differs from most of the nearside
maria. It has an irregular outline, and it appears to be fairly thin. Note the small
circular and elongated features in the mare plains. These probably mark impact craters
buried by less than 1000 - 1700 feet (300-500 meters) of lava. Further, Mare Marginis
is not centered on any clear, large impact basin. Thus, Mare Marginis seems to mark
a low-lying region of the highlands where mare lavas were just able to reach the
surface. Several large mare-floored craters also occur nearby. In these craters,
the crater floors lie below the surrounding highland surface. Thus, they mark sites
around Mare Marginis where lavas were close to the lunar surface. (Lunar Orbiter
image IV-165-H3)
Text and images courtesy of Volcano World
|
