Very young moon - 28 hours!

[Andrew*]

I'm so thrilled! I have set a new personal record for viewing the moon closest to new!

I went out this evening viewing from about 6.39pm, when it was exactly 28 hours after new moon, and about half an hour after sunset. In fact, I didn't actually spot it until 6.54pm, so it was 28 hours 15 minutes old. I couldn't see it naked eye, only in my 15x70 binoculars (handheld), and it appeared merely as an uneven, straggled sliver in the bright early evening sky. You couldn't even really describe it as a crescent, because the terminator is right on the limb, so the illuminated parts make it very uneven.

What an excellent challenge - and so satisfying to achieve.

As it's so close to the equinox, it is pretty much the best timing to see a young moon as the ecliptic is at its greatest angle with the horizon at sunset. It's more challenging at heigher latitudes and the typical poor sky conditions we have in the UK, so I don't hold much hope of beating this record very soon. It's been done naked eye only 15 hours old though - good old O'Meara, what a legend.

Did anyone else bag it this evening?

[Daniel-K]

afraid no i was looking but the damn haze blocked it well done this is something i have being trying to achieve for some time also

[The Warthog]

I planned to go out for a squint tonight, but got busy with other things and left it too late. Congratulations!

[JamieW]

Wish I had. What an excellent idea to see the 'newest' moon.

[Viv]

Was lovely wasn't it.

Caught at 18:57 - all my kit was in the back garden, so just point & shoot jobbie .......

[pajr777]

I did, I put the scope out to cool about 18:45 and aligned the finder on Venus then had a quick look at the faint orange finger nail. My first ever look at the Moon through a scope - I had no idea I was witnessing something rare... but my thought was - wow - I can see a crater half in shadow on the terminator - that crater must be HUGE!! Awesome sight even through the heat haze of tube currents. I must get a lunar filter now the moon is on the ascendancy

[gillipies]

I was the moon at about 7.30pm. It's probably the newest I've ever seen it. Sadly didn't get the scope out until it had set behind the trees :-(

[hobbesy]

I caught it around 6.45 round Waterloo when I met the wife after her piano lesson. Looked very cool.

[smt1988]

i spotted it yesterday id never seen the moon that small was nice to see

[David Smith]

Spotted the moon last night too. Was at a BBQ so couldn't get to my camera! Personal best for me as well, just over 28 hours.

[Starlight 1]

I did see the Moon last night low down in the west just after sunset.

[Andrew*]

Well done everyone, but I was talking about the moon on Friday night. Last night it was about 42 hours old, which makes it considerably easier

[Starlight 1]

Are got me there Andrew I can never rember see it under 42 hours old. I try again next time round.

[Smithy1238]

This was my attempt of the moon last night through iphone 4s with homemade adaptor onto EP

Celestron powerseeker 114eq

Iphone 4s & adaptor

[Mike73]

This was my attempt of the moon last night through iphone 4s with homemade adaptor onto EP

Celestron powerseeker 114eq

Iphone 4s & adaptor

Any chance we could have a look at the adapter?

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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?nl1pnc

[Smithy1238]

yes mike not a problem i used a bog standard hard iphone case off ebay for couple of quid, two small pieces of metal and an old bike torch bracket, and hey presto, otherwise orion charge £50n notes for summat like this