Exploration of the Moon invention of the telescope, an increasing number of people began to recognise the Moon as a sphere, though many believed that it was "perfectly smooth". In 1609, Galileo Galilei drew one of the first telescopic drawings of the Moon in his book and noted that it was not smooth but had mountains and craters. Later in the 17th century, Giovanni Battista Riccioli and Francesco Maria Grimaldi drew a map of the Moon and gave many craters the names they still have today. On maps, the dark parts of the Moon's surface were called "maria" (singular "mare") or seas, and the
Banting (crater) moon, which constantly faces Earth because of its tidally locked orbit. This makes Sir Frederick’s crater fairly central, since Mare Serenitatis is so easily viewed. Despite its location, Banting is a very small crater and can be difficult to see. A telescope must be used, and viewing during certain lunar phases is crucial to seeing such small craters, as well. It is recommended that, while it is waxing, the moon be viewed around the time of its first quarter; while it is waning, it should be viewed just before its last quarter. Craters may also be conspicuous during a gibbous