What specific features of the Moon are easily resolved by hobbyists using magnification?

Answer

Craters, mountain ranges along the terminator, and maria.

Observing the Moon through magnification provides immediate and detailed visual rewards accessible even with modest beginner instruments. Key surface features become apparent upon magnification. Specifically, users can easily distinguish large impact craters, which are dramatically emphasized by the long shadows cast near the terminator—the dynamic boundary separating the sunlit portion of the Moon from the dark side. Furthermore, observers can resolve the vast, smooth, darker plains known scientifically as maria, which contrast sharply with the brighter, more heavily cratered highlands.

What specific features of the Moon are easily resolved by hobbyists using magnification?

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