With all the buzz about high resolution lunar images, I thought I might point out an often overlooked advantage of low resolution. Now before you scoff and tweak your focus knob again, please, let me present my argument. The best example where low resolution works, is one of my favorite lunar features, the western cape of the Bay of Rainbows. Sinus Iridum is the fine feature off the north end of Mare Imbrium. Roughly a semi-circle, it is flanked by two “capes”; Promontorium Laplace and Promontorium Heraclides. It’s to Heraclides, I would like to draw your attention.

    Under the right lighting conditions, when the moon is less than 11 days old, this formation transforms itself into what Cassini called the “Moon Maiden”. No, it wasn’t the effects of too much wine that caused this fine observer to see the “lady in the moon”. Given proper illumination and not the best seeing ( i.e. low resolution) and the maiden appears out of the lunar mist ( the moon of course does not have “mist”, but it sounds much more mysterious than “dust”). How does low resolution help this feature? Well, just like a “soft” filter on the portrait camera does wonders for a model’s complexion, low resolution aids to bring out this lovely female feature at the telescope.