Finally got the Alpine Valley central rille... :)

[jetstream]

I have been trying to see this lunar feature for a long time and have never managed to see any of it, but tonight its mine!    Well a part of it anyway, a very thin thread showing opposite 3 craters that form a triangle next to a part of the valley. I was beginning to wonder if the central rille was beyond me or my 10" aperture, but after viewing some craters @ 340x I figured I better give it a serious go. The craters were extremely sharp at this high mag, but I backed off the LZ/VIP a bit to see the rille.

 Of course I viewed this in the center of the view with the fast f4.8 scope which is very well collimated and the mirror cooled. Another feature I hope to see again is the Barrow crater ray, while not challenging in the resolution dept, it is very unique. Lunar observing along the terminator can be so satisfying...

[Qualia]

Great read and great results, Gerry So glad you spotted the Valley and had the skies to do so. I don't think I've ever viewed at anything over 250x, but I do recall that the jagged shadows of the Alps are very striking, so to see the Valley must have been the cream topping . 

[Stu]

Nice one Gerry :-)

This is on my target list, have not had a serious go at it yet. The 12" f6 should do it I hope!

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[jetstream]

Nice one Gerry :-)

This is on my target list, have not had a serious go at it yet. The 12" f6 should do it I hope!

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Thanks Stu, you will see it in your 12" under good skies and when the scope is well collimated and cooled. I needed my fan on to see it, strange how thermals work-which is the least of 2 evils....fan microblur or boundary layer junk. I always try planetary/lunar with and without the fan. The VIP smooths out the LZ @ 2x or more, this EP is phenomenal for this work.

[jetstream]

Great read and great results, Gerry So glad you spotted the Valley and had the skies to do so. I don't think I've ever viewed at anything over 250x, but I do recall that the jagged shadows of the Alps are very striking, so to see the Valley must have been the cream topping . 

Thanks Rob, it has been a process to get high power views here. The rille was seen as a thin thread, not really jaw dropping to say the least, but a prize nonetheless The LZ @ 2x for 270x didn't show it so I screwed on the extensions for 340x and took a peak at the craters and walls....I would say I was just at or above 300x for the rille. Given good sky conditions I now view Jupiter@ 300x+ in the 10" and the 120ED goes 240x-250x.

I hope to learn more about the moons movements to cherry pick the times when the features are showing their best. Now I wonder if I can ever see the whole rille lol!

[Astro Imp]

Thanks Rob, it has been a process to get high power views here. The rille was seen as a thin thread, not really jaw dropping to say the least, but a prize nonetheless The LZ @ 2x for 270x didn't show it so I screwed on the extensions for 340x and took a peak at the craters and walls....I would say I was just at or above 300x for the rille. Given good sky conditions I now view Jupiter@ 300x+ in the 10" and the 120ED goes 240x-250x.

I hope to learn more about the moons movements to cherry pick the times when the features are showing their best. Now I wonder if I can ever see the whole rille lol!

If you download the Virtual Moon Atlas and select a feature amongst the details shown are the optimum times for viewing.

HTH and good luck.

[YKSE]

Excellent Gerry!

[paul mc c]

Good one,i had the pleasure of seeing this a while back,although not spectacular but tried for so long to see it,it takes good steady seeing and plenty of mag.