Part 18

OKEN.--A large enclosure in S. lat. 43 deg. with broken irregular walls. It is too near the limb for observation.

VEGA.--Schmidt represents this peculiar formation, situated S.E. of Oken, as having a regular curved unbroken rampart on the E., while the opposite border is occupied by four large partially overlapping ring-plains, two of which contain small craters. The floor is devoid of detail.

PONTECOULANT.--A great irregular walled plain, about 100 miles in length, near the S.W. limb, with a border rising in places to a height of 6000 feet above the floor.

HANNO.--A smaller and more regular enclosure, adjoining Pontecoulant on the N.W., and still nearer the limb.

WEST LONGITUDE 60 deg. TO 40 deg.

MESSIER.--The more westerly of a remarkable pair of bright craters, about 9 miles in diameter, standing in an isolated position in the Mare Foecunditatis just S. of the Equator. Madler represents them as similar in every respect, but Webb, observing them in 1855 and 1856 with a 3 7/10 achromatic, found them very distinctly different,--Messier, the more westerly, being not only clearly smaller than its companion, but longer from W. to E. than from N. to S., as it undoubtedly is at the present time. Messier A, however, as the companion is termed, though larger, is certainly not circular, as sometimes shown, but triangular with curved sides. It is just possible that change may have occurred here, for Madler carefully observed these objects more than three hundred times, and, it may be presumed, under very different phases. Messier A is the origin of two slightly divergent light streaks, resembling a comet's tail, which extend over the Mare towards its E. border N. of Lubbock, and are crossed obliquely by a narrower streak. Messier and Messier A stand near the S. and narrowest end of a tapering curved light area. There is a number of craterlets and minute pits in the neighbourhood, and under a high light two round dusky spots are traceable in connection with the "comet" marking, one just beyond its northern, and the other beyond its southern border, near its E. extremity.

LUBBOCK.--A brilliant little crater, about 4 or 5 miles in diameter, near the E. coast-line of the Mare Foecunditatis. The region E. of this object is particularly well worthy of scrutiny under a low sun, on account of the variety of detail it includes. On the S.E. run three fine parallel clefts, originating near the N. end of the Pyrenees.

GUTTEMBERG.--A very fine ring-plain of peculiar shape, about 45 miles in width, with a lofty wall, broken on the N.W. by another ring-plain some 14 miles in diameter, and on the S.E. by a small but distinct crater. The border presents a wide opening towards the S., which is traversed by a number of longitudinal valleys, both the E. and W. sections of the wall being prolonged in this direction. A fine crater-row runs round the outer slope of the E. wall, from the crater just mentioned to the N. side of the formation. It is best seen when the W. wall is on the evening terminator. There is also a broad valley on the S. prolongation of the W. wall. The central mountain is bright but not large. A cleft crosses the N.W. side of the floor. North of Guttemberg there is a curious oblong formation with low walls, connected with the N.E. border by a ridge, and with the N. border by a remarkable row of depressions, situated on a mound; and beyond this object on the E. are three parallel clefts running towards the N.E. On the W. will be found some of the clefts belonging to the Goclenius rill-system. In the rugged region S.E. of the formation is a peculiar low ring with a very uneven floor and a large central hill. The E. wall of Guttemberg may be regarded as forming a portion of the Pyrenees Mountains.

GOCLENIUS.--A ring-plain, about 28 miles in diameter, bearing much resemblance to Plinius in form and size, and, like this formation, associated with a fine system of clefts. The lofty rampart, tolerably continuous on the W., is broken on the S.W. by a bright crater, and on the N.W. by a remarkable triangular depression. It is also traversed by a delicate valley extending from the crater on the S.W. to another on the N.W. border; and at a point a little W. of the first crater is dislocated by an intrusive mass of rock. There are several gaps on the E. and many spurs and irregularities in outline both within and without. A great portion of the N. wall is linear, and joins the E. section nearly at right angles. West of the triangular depression it appears to be partially wrecked, indications of the destruction being very evident if it be observed when the E. wall is near the morning terminator. The small bright central mountain is remarkable for its curious oblong shadow. Two clefts traverse the interior of Goclenius. (1) Originates at the S. wall, E. of the crater, and runs E. of the central mountain to the N. wall; (2) crosses the debris of the ruined N.W. border, runs parallel to the first, and extends nearly to the centre of the floor, (1) Re-appears at the foot of a mound outside the N. wall, and, after crossing the outer W. slope of the great ring-plain on the N.W. wall of Guttemberg, runs to the W. side of an oblong formation N. of it. There are two other clefts, closely parallel and W. of this, traversing the Mare, and terminating among the mountains on the N.W. These are crossed at right angles by what appears to be a "fault," running in a N.W. direction from the W. side of Guttemberg.

MACCLURE.--One of a curious group of formations situated in the Mare Foecunditatis some distance S.W. of Goclenius. It is a bright ring-plain, about 15 miles in diameter, with a narrow gap in the N.E. wall and a small central hill. A prominent ridge runs up to the N. border; and on the S.W. a rill-valley may be traced, extending S. to a bright deep little crater W. of Cook.

CROZIER.--A conspicuous ring-plain a few miles N.N.W. of MacClure, and of about the same size. It has a faint central hill. Neison refers to two long straight streaks extending from Crozier towards Messier.

BELLOT.--A brilliant little ring-plain N.E. of Crozier.

COOK.--A ring-plain, about 25 miles in diameter, on the E. side of the Mare Foecunditatis in S. lat. 17 deg., with low and (except on the S.E.) very narrow walls. There is a small circular depression on the S. border, and a prominent crater on the W. side of the dark interior. On the S.S.E. is the curiously shaped enclosure Cook d, with very bright broad lofty walls and a fine central mountain. On the plain W. of Cook is a conspicuous crater-row, consisting of six or seven craters, diminishing in size in both directions from the centre.

COLOMBO.--A fine ring-plain, about 50 miles in diameter, situated in the highlands separating the Mare Foecunditatis and the Mare Nectaris. The wall, rising at one place to a height of 8000 feet above the floor, is very complicated and irregular, being traversed within by many terraces, and almost everywhere by cross-valleys. Its shape is greatly distorted by the large ring-plain a, which abuts on its N.E. flank. It loses its individuality altogether on the S., its place being occupied by two large depressions, and lofty mountains trending towards the S.E. In the centre there are several distinct bright elevations.

MAGELHAENS.--The more northerly and the larger of a pair of ring-plains between Colombo and Goclenius, with a bright and somewhat irregular though continuous border. The dark interior includes a small central mountain. Its companion on the S.W., Magelhaens a, slightly overlaps it. This also has a central hill, and a crater on the outer slope of its E. wall.

SANTBECH.--A very prominent ring-plain, 46 miles in diameter, on the S.E. side of the Mare Foecunditatis, W. of Fracastorius. The continuity of its fine lofty rampart is broken on the W., where it rises nearly 10,000 feet above the floor, by a brilliant little crater just below the crest, and by a narrow gap on the S. The wall on the E. towers to a height of 15,000 feet above the interior. On its broad outer slope, near the summit, there is a fine crater, and S. of this running obliquely down the slope a distinct valley. On the N.E., where the glacis runs down to the level of the surrounding plain, there is a large crateriform object with a broken N. border, and a small crater opposite the opening. A long coarse valley runs from this latter object in a N.E. direction to the region W. of Bohnenberger. Santbech contains a prominent central peak.

BIOT.--A brilliant little ring-plain, scarcely more than 7 miles in diameter, standing in an isolated position in the Mare Foecunditatis N.E. of Wrottesley. There is a number of bright streaks in its neighbourhood; and a few miles E. of it, in the hilly region W. of Santbech, another conspicuous crater of about the same size.

BORDA.--A ring-plain about 25 miles in diameter, S.S.W. of Santbech, with a rampart low on the N. and S., but elsewhere of considerable height, and a very conspicuous central mountain. A wide deep valley flanked by lofty mountains extends from the N. wall for many miles towards the N.W. It is an especially noteworthy object when the W. wall of Santbech is on the evening terminator, as its somewhat winding course, indicated by the bright summit-ridges of the bordering mountains, can be followed some hours before either the interior of the valley or the region between it and Santbech are in sunlight. Among the mountains W. of Borda there is a peak more than 11,000 feet in height.

SNELLIUS.--A very fine ring-plain, 50 miles in diameter, S.E. of Petavius, with terraced walls, considerably broken on the S.E. by craters, &c. It rises on the E. nearly 7000 feet above a dark floor, which contains a central mountain. N.E. of Snellius is a smaller ring- plain (Snellius a), and due E. a curious rough plateau, bordered on the N. and S. by a number of small craters.

STEVINUS.--A somewhat larger ring-plain, S. of Snellius, with a border rising on the S. to more than 11,000 feet above a dark interior, which includes a bright central mountain.

REICHENBACH.--A very abnormally-shaped ring-plain, about 30 miles in diameter, with a rampart nearly 12,000 feet high. The border is broken on the W., S., and E. by craters and depressions, and on the N. is flanked by two overlapping ring-plains, a and b. On the S.W. lies a magnificent serpentine valley, fully 100 miles in length and about 12 miles in breadth at the N. end, but gradually diminishing as it runs southwards, till it reaches a depression N. of Rheita, where it terminates: here is scarcely more than 4 miles wide.

RHEITA.--A formation, about 35 miles in diameter, S. of Reichenbach, with regular lofty walls, rising at a peak on the N.E. to a height of more than 14,000 feet above the interior, on which there is a small but prominent central mountain, a smaller elevation W. of the centre, and two adjoining craters at the foot of the S. wall. On the E. originates another fine valley, very similar to that already mentioned in connection with Reichenbach. It runs in a S.S.W. direction, is about 100 miles in length, and, in its widest part, is about 12 miles across. Like the Reichenbach valley, it terminates at a small crater-like object, which has a border broken down on the side facing the valley, and a small central hill. About midway between its extremities, this great gorge is crossed by a wall of rock, like a narrow bridge.

JANSSEN.--An immense irregular enclosure, reminding one of the very similar area, bordered by Walter, Lexell, Hell, &c., in the third quadrant. It extends about 150 miles from E. to W., and more than 100 from N. to S., its limits on the N. being rather indefinite. Its very rugged humpy surface includes one great central mountain, and innumerable minor hills and ridges, craters, and crater-pits; but the principal feature is the magnificent curved rill-valley running from the S. side of Fabricius across the rough expanse to the S. side. This fine object, very coarse on the N., passes the central mountain on the E. side, and becomes gradually narrower as it approaches the border; before reaching which, another finer cleft branches from it on the W., and also runs to the S. side of the plain.

LOCKYER.--A prominent deep ring-plain, 32 miles in diameter, with massive bright lofty walls, standing just outside the S.E. border of Janssen. Schmidt shows a minute crater on the S. rim. I have seen a crater within, at the inner foot of the W. wall, and a central peak.

FABRICIUS.--A ring-plain, 55 miles in diameter, with a lofty terraced border, rising on the S.W. to a height of nearly 10,000 feet above the interior. It is partially included by the rampart of Janssen, and the great rill-valley on the floor of the latter appears to cut through its S. wall. There is a long central mountain on the floor, with a prominent ridge extending along the E. side of it. W. of Fabricius (between it and the border of Janssen) lies a very irregular enclosure, with three distinct craters within it; and on the E., running from the wall to the E. side of Janssen, is a straight narrow valley. Both Fabricius and Janssen should be viewed under a low morning sun.

STEINHEIL.--A double ring-plain, W. of Janssen, 27 miles in diameter. The more easterly formation sinks to a depth of nearly 12,000 feet below the summit of the border.

METIUS.--This ring-plain, of about the same size as Fabricius, but with a still loftier barrier, abuts on the N. wall of this formation, and has caused a very obvious deformation in its contour. It is prominently terraced internally, and on the W. the wall rises at one peak to a height of 13,000 feet above the floor, which contains a deep crater on the W. of the centre, and many ridges.

BIELA.--A considerable ring-plain, about 55 miles in diameter, S.W. of Janssen, with a wall broken on the N.W., S., and E. by rings and large enclosures. There is a central mountain, but apparently no other details on the floor.