Thanks for joining us here at Space Videos. What has the moon in store for us this evening? We hope you enjoy the video - if you do, please like and share it. If you want to support us, why not buy us a virtual coffee - http://www.buymeacoffee.com/spacevideos In this short video we look at the moon, its current phase, illumination, distance from the Earth, as well as some of the features you will be able to see as they become visible tonight, especially when viewing with either a telescope or binoculars. With tonight's moon being 100% illuminated we get a great view of all the lunar seas and lakes, these great plains of solidified lava that cover so much of the moon's surface. Also, on the moons extreme western limb , the terminator (the line between darkness and light) allows us to get a peek at new craters including Struve which is 170km in diameter and is named after 3 family members, all astronomers. Struve is the lava-flooded remains of a lunar impact crater. It is located near the western extreme of the Oceanus Procellarum, close to the western lunar limb. As a consequence, even though it is roughly circular in outline, it appears oval due to foreshortening. The moon of course can be enjoyed with the natural eye but even a small telescope will enhance the view and give you a better idea of its unique properties. Enjoy the night sky and if you are stargazing tonight we wish you clear skies! This video was created using data from Nasa's Scientific Visualization Studios.
https://youtu.be/yzculN6koaQ