Sinus Medii
Our head graphic is from the Infinity Jukebox topic, and alludes to the circular figure discussed today. Lunar cartography really didn't start to happen until Galileo surveyed the Moon with his improved telescope starting in 1609, revealing lunar structure in mountains casting shadows. As an ambitious young man on the make, Galileo cast around for spectacular but low hanging fruit, and left the detail work to those who followed after. Declarations of landmarks slowly followed, as maria, mountain ranges and craters were definitely categorized and compiled. Curiously, no one before the invention of the telescope mapped the Moon as having mountains or seas - and it took over 30 years after the telescope being recognized as a celestial research instrument for people to steady down and agree on the Moon having Earth analog features. Recognition of the center of the Moon maintaining locked stabilization with earth followed, with Sinus Medii ('central bay') being recognized and ...
