Chesley Bonestell (American, 1888-1986) Straight Wall and Birt Crater, Looking North, 1977 Oil on board 20 x 30 inches (50.8 x 76.2 cm) Signed lower left: Chesley Bonestell In the present work, Bonestell carefully and accurately depicts one of the Moon's most noted and depicted landscapes. The Moon's Straight Wall (Rupes Recta) is a dramatic, linear fault line running about 110 kilometers long and 300 meters high, located in the lunar southern highlands. Nearby, Birt Crater sits to the west of the Straight Wall, a relatively small, circular impact crater with a diameter of about 17 kilometers. When looking north, the Straight Wall's stark shadow is particularly noticeable during the lunar morning or evening, making it one of the Moon's most striking geological features. HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved