Valley / rille / scarp

Rupes Recta

The Straight Wall is a linear scarp in Mare Nubium. Its appearance depends strongly on the direction and height of the sunlight.

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Rupes Recta and surrounding lunar terrain in the LROC Wide Angle Camera mosaic
Rupes Recta · North up, east right. Open image ↗
NASA / GSFC / Arizona State University · LROC WAC mosaic via USGS. Regional map crop; lighting is fixed and does not follow the selected date.
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Lunar north up, with geocentric libration. Full atlas mode shows the entire facing surface; switch to Selected phase for today’s illumination. Choose a different date in the atlas.

How to observe Rupes Recta

Look for a dark line in lunar morning and compare it with the brighter appearance under evening illumination. It is a slope, not a sheer vertical wall.

Finding the region

Look at 21.67° S, 7.70° W on the lunar disc. The chart marker identifies the catalogue centre. Start with a wide field and use the nearby formations below as landmarks.

Equipment & conditions

Locate a larger nearby landmark before increasing magnification. Fine channels and slopes demand steady air and favourable illumination. The marker identifies the catalogue centre, not the complete outline of the formation.

Lighting

For surface relief, try a time when the Sun is low over this region. To compare surface brightness and any bright rays, return under higher illumination. The atlas calculates the solar elevation at the formation’s centre for any selected date.

View Rupes Recta in the atlas

IAU / USGS Gazetteer

Official feature record

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Approved name
Rupes Recta
Feature classification
Rupes, rupēs
Catalogue dimension / extent
115.95 km
Centre latitude
21.67° S
Centre longitude
7.70° W
Name origin (Gazetteer)
Latin for "straight cliff" (the straight wall).

Coordinates are selenographic, with east-positive longitude. Dimensions are the Gazetteer’s catalogue values; for extended formations they do not represent a circular crater diameter. Data snapshot: 2026-09-16. Observing guidance above is separate from the official record.

Nearby formations

The four closest catalogue entries, measured from their centres.

LROC photograph of AlpetragiusImpact crater

Alpetragius

A smaller crater west of the Alphonsus–Arzachel region. Its unusually prominent central feature gives it a distinctive appearance.

LROC photograph of ArzachelImpact crater

Arzachel

The southern crater of a recognisable central chain with Ptolemaeus and Alphonsus. It has a central peak and clearly defined inner walls.

LROC photograph of Mare NubiumSea / bay

Mare Nubium

The Sea of Clouds is an irregular dark region south of the lunar equator. Partly buried formations and neighbouring highlands make its borders varied.

LROC photograph of AlphonsusImpact crater

Alphonsus

The middle crater of the Ptolemaeus–Alphonsus–Arzachel chain. Its floor and modest central peak contrast with the neighbouring formations.