Crater Piccolomini

[acr_astro]

Hi all,

yesterday evening I got the opportunity to have a look at the moon again. Originally I had planned to sketch either the trio Theophilus/Cyrillus/Catharina or the Serpentine ridge in Mare Serenitatis but I was a bit too early: The crater trio was showing just their bright crater rims but still completely dark in on their floors – a nice view but no good sketching target. And the Serpentine ridge was not yet properly visible, too.
So I had to wander around for a nice sketching target. Even though not being one of the large, standard targets it was Piccolomini which seemed to be the best one for this evening. While sketching I had to hurry a bit since the moon was about to vanish behind some tree in the neighbourhood – and finally was even obscured by some altostratus clouds.

However, this is the result:

Telescope: Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT with Amici prism
Eyepiece: TS HR Planetary 7mm
Date & Time: July 21st, 2015 / 2145-2230 CEST
Location: Home terrace, Dusseldorf region (Germany)
References: Sky & Telescope Field map of the Moon, Rükl Mondatlas

Upper Imbrian crater Piccolomini (named after the Italian philosopher Allessandro Piccolomini) with its diameter of almost 90km appeared nicely with a bright westerly rim and clear, black shadows on its eastern floor. The central peak with shadow was eye-catching as well. At the southern crater rim an arc-shaped structure at first glance looked like an arc in the rim itself but with more detailed look might be a large slid of material at the southern rim.
The satellite craters Piccolomini M, Piccolomini C and a third, unnamed crater in the north of the main crater were visible as a row of three black ovals with bright rims – resembling a bit small soap bubbles connected to a large one.  
Finally, in the south of the main crater, the satellite crater Piccolomini B presented itself as a “standard” small crater with oval rim (bright in the west) and dark floor.

Clear skies!

Achim

[mariosi]

Nice presentation Achin.

The drawing is superb!

Clear skies always

Marios

[laudropb]

Lovely sketch and very nice report. Thanks for posting.

[acr_astro]

Hi Marios, Hi laudropb,

thank you for the nice feedback!

Clear Skies!

Achim