Lunar libration has carried the large crater Schickard away from the limb, offering a great view this morning.

| Published: May 12, 2026

On the morning of May 12, the crater Schickard is readily visible, as libration has carried it farther from the limb. Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

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May 11: Egeria moves along

Early risers have a great view of a lunar feature normally located near the limb this morning. An hour before sunrise, the Moon is roughly 20° above the eastern horizon. About 25 percent of its nearside is still lit, as sunset slowly occurs across the lunar disk.

Zoom in on the lunar southwest with a telescope and you’ll immediately notice a broad, shallow crater with a bright eastern rim and a dark, flat floor. This is 132-mile-wide (212 kilometers) Schickard, a circular feature that often appears artificially elongated thanks to its location near the limb.…