Fun along the Terminator

[The Warthog]

I set up the scope just after 7 PM, and pointed it at the moon. The moon was very low contrast and hard to make out detail on, though, because of that other bright light in the sky. Wow! And people complain about the Moon being a source of light pollution!

About 9PM, after sunset, the contrast on the Moon was better, and I began to do a little messing about with my camera. I've taken a couple of 3MP pics that should be OK, as there was enough ambient light on the light meter to prevent the picture from being overexposed. Haven't taken them out of the camera, though.

The first things that got my attention were Aristotle (Aristoteles) and Eudoxia in the North, which stand out nicely on the edge of Mare Frigoris (Friggin' Sea) as they are younger than the surroundings which tend to be older, weathered craters such as Alexander, and plains. West of Aristotle is a tiny, perfectly round crater, Aristotle A. In the rim of Aristotle is crater Mitchell. I believe Aristotle and Eudoxia were friends, but I don't think either of them knew Mitchell.

The Moon began to drop to where the upper branches of my apple tree were interfering with the view, so I did the only reasonable thing I could do under the circumstances. I went and got my pruning shears and shortened a few branches. This gave me another twenty minutes or so.

There is a neat curving row of five craters just south of the middle of the terminator, which are all about the same range of size, and all named after Arab mathematicians, except for one that is named after a Jewish scholar. The row is quite eye-catching, consisting of craters about 40 to 60km in diameter.

I also tried to pick up some rimae and ridges that are supposed to be on the floor of Serenitatis, near Eudoxus, but couldn't come up with them. They may be below the limit of what a 4" scope can see.

Tonight the 'snowman' and Rupes Recta should be in sight, and perhaps Tycho. When the Moon's out, look at it, eh?

[Doc]

Pruning your tree for the sake of an extra 20 minutes....

Now that's dedication

Btw a great report.

[Astroman]

It figures you'd identify with Mare Frigoris, WH, but you should add the "Frozen" to the "Friggin'".

Nice report.

[geppetto]

When the Moon's out, look at it, eh?

Can't argue with that