Sinus Roris (
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
''sinus rōris'' "Bay of Dew") is a dark, basaltic plain on the near side of the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
that forms an extension of the northern edge of
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum ( la, Ōceanus procellārum, lit=Ocean of Storms) is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Moon. It is the only one of the lunar maria to be called an "Oceanus" (ocean), due to its size: Oceanus Proc ...
. The
IAU-defined
selenographic coordinates
The selenographic coordinate system is used to refer to locations on the surface of Earth's moon. Any position on the lunar surface can be referenced by specifying two numerical values, which are comparable to the latitude and longitude of Earth. ...
of this bay are 54.0° N, 56.6° W, and the diameter is 202 km.
Characteristics
Following traditional nomenclature for the moon, this feature was named sinus (bay) because of its small size, but it possesses many of the same characteristics as a lunar mare (sea). Like other maria (including Oceanus Procellarum), it is a dark, basaltic area on the near side of the moon believed to be formed by impact craters that later filled with magma, which then hardened into smooth, dark plains.
The borders of this feature are somewhat indistinct. The bay proper is framed along the western edge by the craters
Markov Markov ( Bulgarian, russian: Марков), Markova, and Markoff are common surnames used in Russia and Bulgaria. Notable people with the name include:
Academics
*Ivana Markova (born 1938), Czechoslovak-British emeritus professor of psychology at ...
and
Oenopides
Oenopides of Chios ( el, Οἰνοπίδης ὁ Χῖος; born c. 490 BCE) was an ancient Greek geometer and astronomer, who lived around 450 BCE.
Biography
Only limited information are known about the early life of Oenopides except his bir ...
, and to the north by
Babbage and
South. At the eastern edge it joins the
Mare Frigoris.
Many
selenographers have taken liberties with the dimensions of Sinus Roris. Lunar maps often indicate a much larger region for this bay than the official dimensions. These can range out as far as the craters
Gerard and
Repsold to the west,
Harpalus
Harpalus (Greek: Ἅρπαλος) son of Machatas was an aristocrat of Macedon and boyhood friend of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. Harpalus was repeatedly entrusted with official roles by Alexander and absconded three times with la ...
to the east, and as far south as 44° N
latitude
In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...
, approaching
Mons Rümker.
The area where the official coordinates place this bay has a generally higher
albedo
Albedo (; ) is the measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation out of the total solar radiation and measured on a scale from 0, corresponding to a black body that absorbs all incident radiation, to 1, corresponding to a body that refl ...
than the mare to the south, most likely due to deposits of ejecta from impacts to the north.
Early concepts of a Moon landing promoted by
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun ( , ; 23 March 191216 June 1977) was a German and American aerospace engineer and space architect. He was a member of the Nazi Party and Allgemeine SS, as well as the leading figure in the develop ...
envisaged the establishment of a permanent lunar base in the Sinus Roris region.
These concepts lead, in much modified form, to
Project Apollo.
Arthur C. Clarke's novel ''
A Fall of Moondust
''A Fall of Moondust'' is a hard science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1961. It was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Novel, and was the first science fiction novel selected to become a ''Reader's D ...
'' is set in a fictional "Sea of Thirst" located within Sinus Roris.
See also
*
Volcanism on the Moon
Volcanism on the Moon is represented by the presence of volcanoes, pyroclastic deposits and vast lava plains on the lunar surface. The volcanoes are typically in the form of small domes and cones that form large volcanic complexes and isolated ed ...
References
External links
USGS lunar map showing Sinus Roris
{{Moon colonization
Maria on the Moon