The Sky & Telescope Moon Map folds out to some 11 inches x 17 inches, and is laminated to protect it from moisture out in the field. The Sky & Telescope Moon Map is a great option for beginners.įor just a few dollars, you’ll get a detailed atlas of the moon which is great for observing by eye, or wide-field with binoculars or low magnification telescope (for more detail – see the Field Map, below). Click on the image or button to see the latest pricing and get more information. This a selection of the best moon maps which you can buy today. When standing outside actually observing the moon, you will need a paper moon atlas which you can readily refer to (but which won’t ruin your night vision like a computer, tablet or phone screen will). Mons Pico)įor planning your viewing, or following up afterwards, this is a great resource… but it suffers from not being usable whilst you’re actually standing at your telescope. Even more detailed pictures of named features (e.g.A long list of feature names (both official and unofficial).high magnification pictures of the area.On this site you can delve deeply into small areas of the moon’s surface and find

The image above shows you the individually mapped areas from 1 – 76. The Moon is a big place and maps are essential if we are to keep track of all its features.Īntonin Rükl famously mapped the moon and his efforts delivered a fabulous (and free!) online resource The Rükl Index Map. Rükl Moon MapsĪs cartography is the act of making maps on Earth, selenography is the name given to making maps of the moon. Later came lunar maps drawn by Thomas Harriot, Galileo Galilei and Charles Scheiner etc. The first ever lunar map was developed by the astronomer William Gilbert who drew the features of the moon by looking at it through his naked eye. The idea of lunar mapping dates back to the 15 th century, when it was realised that the surface of the moon is not perfectly smooth. It also helped me compile my guide to the Lunar 100, which you can see here. I plan to find a feature, look for it and get a buzz when I discover what I was looking for.īeing the owner of a moon crater map gives me that ability every time the moon is out – and you could be getting that buzz of discovery and recognition too! Through your telescope, I bet you’re good for the bigger mountain ranges, like the Appenines and maybe even the craters which stand out at first and last quarters, like Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus, Arzachel and Purbach.īut, if you’re not already using a moon map ( this is the one that I use), then I’m willing to bet you don’t know the (very) nearby Herschel, Alpetragius or Thebit craters?Īnd that’s where the idea of a map of the moon with labels comes into play: for me, the joy of astronomy (aside from some stunning views) is the feeling of discovery. You can probably name many surface features of the moon with the naked eye – especially the bigger mare – and Tycho.

Rukl moon atlas