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Updated: June 27, 2025
LEVERRIER. The more westerly of a pair of little ring-plains on the N. side of the Mare Imbrium, and S.W. of the Laplace promontory. It is about 10 miles in diameter, with walls rising some 1500 feet above the Mare, and more than 6000 feet above the interior, which seems to be without a central mountain or other features.
LACAILLE. An oblong enclosure situated on the N. side of Blanchinus, and apparently about 30 miles in greatest diameter. The border is to a great extent linear and continuous on the N., but elsewhere abounds in depressions. Two large inosculating ring-plains are associated with the N.E. wall. BLANCHINUS. A large walled-plain on the W. of Purbach and abutting on the S. side of Lacaille.
Between it and Langrenus are two large ring-plains with central mountains, and on the N.E., La Peyrouse A, a bright crater, adjoining which is La Peyrouse DELTA, one of the most brilliant spots on the moon. ANSGARIUS. A ring-plain, 50 miles in diameter, still nearer to the limb than the last. BEHAIM. A great ring-plain, 65 miles in diameter, S. of Ansgarius, and connected with it by ridges.
MAGINUS. An immense partially ruined enclosure, at least 100 miles from side to side, on the S.W. of Tycho, from which it is separated by a region covered with a confused mass of ring-plains and craters.
The border is everywhere crowded with depressions, large and small. Three ring-plains, not less than 6 miles in diameter, stand upon the S. wall, the most westerly overlapping its shallower neighbour on the E., which projects beyond the wall on to the floor.
KASTNER. A large walled-plain at the S. end of the Mare Smythii, too near the limb for satisfactory observation. MACLAURIN. The principal member of a group of irregular ring-plains on the W. side of the Mare Foecunditatis, a little S. of the lunar equator. Schmidt shows no details within it, except a small crater on the E. side of the floor.
SASSERIDES. A formation of irregular shape, with very lofty walls, situated amid the confusion of ring-plains, craters, crater-pits, &c., in the region N. of Tycho, some of which are fully as deserving of a distinct name. HEINSIUS. A very curious formation on the N.E. of Tycho: a fine telescopic object under oblique illumination.
The inner slopes of this vast rampart are very complex, especially on the E., where many terraces and depressions may be seen under suitable illumination. There are three large ring-plains in the interior, all of them S. of the centre; and at least five smaller ones near the inner foot of the E. wall, which can only be well observed when libration is favourable.
It has been held by some selenologists and Schmidt appears to be of the number, that, seeing the comparative scarcity of large ring-plains and other massive formations on the Maria, these grey plains represent, as it were, a picture of the primitive surface of the moon before it was disturbed by the operations of interior forces; but this view affords no explanation of the undoubted existence of the relics of an earlier lunar world beneath their smooth superficies.
The ring-plains vary in diameter from sixty to less than ten miles, and are far more regular in outline than the walled-plains. Their ramparts, often very massive, are more continuous, and fall with a steep declivity to a floor almost always greatly depressed below the outside region.
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