77% Waxing Gibbous Moon

77% Waxing Gibbous Moon

This image captures the Moon at 77% illumination in its waxing gibbous phase. The waxing gibbous phase occurs when the Moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet fully illuminated, as seen from Earth.

Technical Information

The terminator — the line dividing the illuminated and dark portions of the Moon — provides the most dramatic views of lunar features due to the long shadows cast by mountains and crater rims. Notable features visible in this image include:

• Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) — the large dark plain in the northern region
• Mare Serenitatis (Sea of Serenity) — the circular dark area east of Mare Imbrium
• Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility) — the dark region southeast of Mare Serenitatis
• Copernicus Crater — a prominent impact crater near the terminator in the western region
• Tycho Crater — visible in the southern region with its distinctive ray system extending across the lunar surface
• Apennine Mountains — the mountain range forming the boundary between Mare Imbrium and Mare Vaporum

This image represents my first attempt at lunar photography using a dedicated astronomy camera rather than a DSLR. The higher sensitivity and dynamic range of the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro allowed for capturing fine details along the terminator while maintaining good exposure across the illuminated portion.