In the night sky, the moon is the most visible object.
It's hard to miss as it takes center stage and washes out any objects that are not able to challenge its brightness.
The entrance is marked by lighting up the sky as a crescent-shaped light, before revealing its face as the full moon. A chunk of rock that has accompanied our planet since it was formed is something that many take for granted.
It always appears to be there. With the naked eye, we can see the craters, volcanoes, ridges, and basins that plague it. We believe that we have seen all that our moon has to offer. Have we?
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If you've never pointed a pair of binoculars or a telescope at our satellite, you will be surprised to learn that the moon is an astronomer's best friend. It's even better that it's so close to us that it's easy to observe, even if you don't have a telescope.
You'll need a pair of binoculars or a telescope if you want to see the full extent of its battered surface. Regardless of the phase of the moon being revealed to Earth, it still has many features on display for you to see.
Our guides for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals right now can help if you're looking for a telescope or binoculars. If you want to capture the next skywatching sight on your own, you'll need the best cameras andlenses.
The face we never see is something that our moon hides. Our rocky companion spins on its axis at the same time that it takes to circle the Earth. It's hard to find anything interesting on the moon's far side because of the angle of the earth to the moon.
When you look at the moon's surface, you're most likely to see a pattern called the Man or Rabbit in the Moon.
The plains of our companion's active past are not like the vast bodies of water that we are used to.
The rich amount of iron found in these lunar seas makes them dark and less reflective of the sun's light than the light grey areas surrounding them.
Some of the smaller lakes, marshes, and bays can be found on the lunar surface. When the moon is full or close to full, most of these features can be seen. A good pair of binoculars will help you if you are having a hard time.
There are ridges, valleys, and faults on the lunar surface. Without the majestic mountains that rise out of its dry, dusty surface and team up to form gigantic mountain ranges, it would not be the rocky world we know today.
You will need a telescope to see these amazing landmarks, despite their large size. While the moon is in a transitional phase, these can be seen.
There are craters, all around. Our moon is scarred with thousands of pockmarks and dents, most of which have been formed by chunks of space rock smashing into it.
The moon is a barren world without any water, atmosphere or plates. There are no elements that can wear down the craters and they're there to stay for a long time. They come in a wide range of sizes and depths, with some boasting raised rim and central peaks.
We can see some of the craters with telescopes or binoculars. As the moon shifts through its phases, you can watch the lighting change to make them more exciting to watch.
You can find our top eight craters by scrolling through our gallery.
The image is the first of eight.
The Plato crater was imaged by the LROC camera.
The coordinates are 51.6 degrees north and 9.2 degrees west.
There is a diameter of 69 miles.
The depth is 0.7 miles.
The image is from the LROC Quickmap, NASA/GSFC and Arizona State University.
The coordinates are 9.7 degrees north and 20 degrees west.
It's diameter is 58 miles.
The depth is 2.3 miles.
The manilius crater was imaged by NASA's lunar observatory camera.
TheCoordinates are 14 degrees north and 9.1 degrees east.
It's diameter is 24 miles.
The depth is two miles.
The image of Stevinus crater was taken by NASA's lunar observatory camera.
The coordinates are 32.50 degrees south and 54.2 degrees east.
The diameter is 77 miles.
The depth is 1.9 miles.
The Tycho crater was imaged by NASA's lunar observatory camera.
The coordinates are 43.31 degrees south and 11.36 degrees west.
The diameter is 54 miles.
The depth is 3 miles.
The image is from the LROC Quickmap, NASA/GSFC and Arizona State University.
The coordinates are 23.7 degrees north and 47.4 degrees west.
The diameter is 40 km.
The depth is 2.3 miles.
The image was created by the LROC Quickmap, NASA/GSFC and Arizona State University.
The coordinates are 8.1 degrees north and 38.0 degrees west.
The diameter is twenty miles.
The depth is 1.6 miles.
The Langrenus crater was imaged by NASA's lunar observatory camera.
The coordinates are 60.9 degrees east and 9.2 degrees south.
There is a diameter of over 80 miles.
The depth is 1.7 miles.
The sun gives us a run of phases every 30 days when the moon is in the sky.
There is a question about the moon phase. There are lunar phases in the future.
When the moon turns red, we know that it has passed into the shadow of Earth, where no sunlight can reach its surface.
We are in the middle of a lunar eclipse. If you are on the night side of Earth, you will be able to see the lunar eclipse.
You don't need protective eyewear, or even optical aids, to view a lunar eclipse.
Even though the moon is still in shadow, it is possible to see the rest of the lunar surface even though it is a waxing crescent.
Light rays get wherever they can and what happens is that the sunlight that's reflected from Earth is being transferred onto the moon's face. It is usually visible during the waxing and waning crescent phases.
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