Montes Caucasus

38.4°N, 10.0°E

The Caucasus is a ruggedly craggy, heavily eroded, extensive mountain range, and the direct continuation of the Apennines, separated from the latter by an approximately 50 km wide, flat, lava-flooded ‘strait’. The range stretches over a total length of approximately 520 km, and contains the highest peaks on the nearside of the Moon, which tower more than 6 km above the lava surface. To the east lies Mare Serenitatis, and to the west, Mare Imbrium. If one were a tourist standing on one of the highest mountains, one would be able to see for about 140 km.

Calippus 38.9°N, 10.7°E

A 32-km crater in the Caucusus highlands. The eastern crater wall runs almost in a straight line in the north-south direction. The western wall exhibits massive landslides. Very large instruments show a few crater pits on the crater floor. Calippus C, lying to the west, is a semicircular crater, 40 km in diameter, open to Mare Imbrium.

Rima Calippus 37.0°N,13.0°E

A fairly wide, slightly curved rille, 40 km long, southeast of Calippus. It lies on the northwestern edge of Mare Serenitatis.

Alexander 40.3°N, 13.5°E

Alexander is a very heavily eroded complex crater, 81 km in diameter. The northeastern wall of the crater has been almost completely destroyed.

Valentine Dome 31.0°N, 10.3°E

At the southern end of the Caucasus and lying to the east, is a large, almost circular plateau, which is interpreted as being a volcanic megadome. Officially, the feature remains unnamed, but in lunar literature has the nickname ‘Valentine Dome’.