selenography

[sel-uh-nog-ruh-fee]

noun

1. the branch of astronomy that deals with the charting of the moon's surface.

selenography

/ ˌsiːlɪˈnɒɡrəfɪ, sɪˌliːnəʊˈɡræfɪk, -ˌɡræf, sɪˈliːnəʊˌɡrɑːf /

noun

1. the branch of astronomy concerned with the description and mapping of the surface features of the moon

Other Word Forms

• selenographer noun
• selenographic adjective
• selenograph noun
• selenographically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of selenography¹

First recorded in 1640–50; seleno- + -graphy

Example Sentences

When Italian scientist Galileo Galilei peered at the moon through his homemade telescope, he sketched its surprisingly craggy surface, published his drawings in 1610 and launched a new field of astronomy called selenography.

From Scientific American

An expert in selenography, the science of mapping the moon, he published top books on the subject, including "Atlas of the Moon."

From US News

As his Wikipedia entry says, it was "considered by some as the culmination of the art of selenography prior to the space age".

From The Guardian

It is a tough problem in selenography to account for these streaks.

From Project Gutenberg

These, and a few other similar instances, are all that selenography has to offer by way of evidence of actual lunar change.

From Project Gutenberg