Abstract
Messala (75 miles wide) is a very large formation. The walls are not particularly high for a crater this size; they are highest on the southwest rim and may reach about 2 miles above the floor. The large flat floor is rather rough with small hills, ridges, and craterlets. There is a series of small central peaks that are off-center. There are three noticeable craters on the rim; the most prominent is on the southern edge. Observe this fine crater around the third day after the new Moon. If seeing conditions are good, observe at a magnification of 240. You will see a wealth of detail.
Hooke (22 miles wide) is a crater a little north and west of Messala. The floor is flat, and even at high magnifications it is difficult to see any detail with a 6-inch refractor.
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© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
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Spain, D. (2009). Messala. In: The Six-Inch Lunar Atlas. Astronomer's Pocket Field Guide. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-87610-8_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-87610-8_4
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Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
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