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Science 16 June 1978:
Vol. 200. no. 4347, pp. 1265 - 1267
DOI: 10.1126/science.200.4347.1265
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Articles

The Moon in Heiligenschein

ROBERT L. WILDEY 1

1 Department of Astronomy and Physics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff 8601, and Branch of Astrogeologic Studies, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff

An analysis of 25 photometric digital images of the moon has been carried out to obtain a single image in a new mapping parameter, the Heiligenschein exponent. The data necessarily represent a range of lunar phases, but all are within 10 hours of full moon. The new parameter characterizes the rate at which lunar features brighten as their local phase angles approach zero. Although considerable contrast is present in this parameter, there is only a small correlation with normal albedo. In particular, the large albedo difference between maria and highlands is not simply reflected in Heiligenschein differences, which are larger within each category of terrain than the difference between the Heiligenschein averages of each. A correlation with age may be present in both the maria and the highlands, but its determination will require separation into distinct geochemical provinces.

Submitted on September 12, 1977
Revised on January 13, 1978


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Opposition Effect of the Moon: The Contribution of Coherent Backscatter.
B. W. Hapke, B. W. Hapke, R. M. Nelson, and W. D. Smythe (1993)
Science 260, 509-511
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)