{"copyright":"Luigi Morrone","date":"2026-01-15","explanation":"The dark-floored , 95 kilometer wide crater Plato and sunlit peaks of the lunar Alps (Montes Alpe s) are highlighted in this this sharp telescopic snapshot of the Moon's surface. While the Alps of planet Earth were uplifted over millions of years as continen tal plates slowly collided, the lunar Alps were likely formed by a sudden collis ion that created the giant impact basin known as the Mare Imbrium or Sea of Rain s. The mare's generally smooth, lava-flooded floor is seen below the bordering m ountain range. The prominent straight feature cutting through the mountains is t he lunar Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes). Joining the Mare Imbrium and northern Mar e Frigoris (Sea of Cold) the valley extends toward the upper right, about 160 ki lometers long and up to 10 kilometers wide. Of course, the large, bright lunar a lpine mountain below and right of Plato crater is named Mont Blanc. Lacking an a tmosphere, not to mention snow, the lunar Alps are probably not an ideal locatio n for a winter vacation. Still, a 150 pound skier would weigh a mere 25 pounds o n the Moon.","hdurl":"https:\/\/apod.nasa.gov\/apod\/image\/2601\/2025-12-29-165 6_Plato_Lmorr.jpg","media_type":"image","service_version":"v1","title":"Plato an d the Lunar Alps","url":"https:\/\/apod.nasa.gov\/apod\/image\/2601\/2025-12-29- 1656_Plato_Lmorr1024.jpg"}
