18th Feb 2013, Lunar session

[KevUU]

After missing Saturday and Sunday nights - both clear - from tiredness I was really looking forward to yesterday with the clear forecast. So I was very disappointed when I put the scope out and saw hazey thin cloud veiling everything.

But I've just downloaded a moon globe app for my iPad, so I thought I would take a proper look at 'ole Luna. I've looked in the general direction before, but never really taken it in properly or taken the time to get to know what I was looking at. So I figured I would give it a go and see if I took to it

(Note, things I observed I marked green as per convention, but things which I noted -"there's an obvious crater there" - but didn't look at properly I didn't record as 'found')

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2000 - 2200. Forecast was clear but there's a cast if thin cloud / thick haze. Waxing 60% moon.

Went for a lunar session. 30mm ep is most comfortable, but only x13/x27 so used the 8mm for x50 (whole moon view) and x100 (closer looks at details).

So, first a familiarisation at x50. Led by the Maria since they're the most obvious features to navigate by.

Sea of Tranquility, because where else can you start?

To the east is Palus Somni (Marsh of Sleep), obvious due to distinctive shape of the ejecta from the Proclus Crater which gives a natural border.

North of Tranquility is the Sea of Serenity. Bessel Crater sits alone in the middle, with what looks like some ejecta from it but perhaps it's from a large crater near the NE limb - De La Rue? There seem to be a few other craters on the line of ejecta too (eg Menelaus at the SW edge of Serenity) - are they formed from the stuff thrown up by the De La Rue impact?

South of Tranquility is Sinus Asperitatis (Bay of Roughness), with the twin craters of Theophilus and Cyrillus below. Further S, is Mare Nectaris.

SE of Tranquility is the Sea of Fecundity. Craters Gutenberg and Goclenius to the SW. The mare seems to bay out to the S, but no separate name is given.

To the E of Tranquility and Proclus is Mare Crisum (Sea of Crises!). At the N of this is Mare Anguis (Serpent Sea), looks more like a river than a sea - hence the name I suppose.

SE of Crisum, NE of Fecundity, is Mare Undarum (Sea of Waves). Much smaller and irregular than the others.

Back up to near where we started and off the other way: SW of Serenity is Mare Vaporum, dominated by the Manilius Crater.

NW of Vaporum, the Apennine Mountains are huuuge! Beyond them Mare Imbrium (Sea of Showers) disappears under the terminator. The craters of Archimedes, Aristillus and Autolycus are obvious within it, and of course the Plato crater and then the Alpes at the N edge.

N of Plato, nr the N limb and the terminator, is a cluster of rough craters.

In the Southern third of the moon, parallel and into the terminator, are swathes of craters. Maginus dominates here,

In the SE Vallis Snellius is an obvious large bright patch away from the Maria of the NE and the craters of the S.

A quick look at some details at x100:

On the terminator towards the S, Arzachel Crater is interesting, it seems to have a double rim as well as an obvious feature (mountain I assume) dead centre.

Further S, Nasireddin is a crater overlapping the side of the Huggins crater, which is itself overlapping the larger Orontius crater!

Finding a sense of scale is hard. Proclus is fairly small at 28km diameter, but it's visible despite being a quarter of a million miles away. But then, the Alpes look smaller than they should for a feature 300km long...

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Wow, that 2hrs went really quickly! I really enjoyed concentrating on the one object though, and there are plenty of things I want to look at in more detail next time. I'm really glad I gave it a go

When I came in I thought I'd take a look at the Lunar 100 and see how many I could chalk up. And the answer is ... 5! It will be good to have targets when the moon is out, instead of complaining about it.

[alan potts]

Again another well written report, I must spend some time on the moon. When I working many people would have chipped in to send me there. Going back to your other report, don't be too unhappy with not seeing the GRS on Jupiter, I have not seen it for months with larger scopes but I fell mine is a timing issue. It is not so 'standout' this year, so I am told and the colour is paler. Keep trying.

Alan.

[Double Kick Drum]

It looks like we've all moved to lunar observing out of desperation but ended up getting quite into it.

Nice report!

[KevUU]

Again another well written report, I must spend some time on the moon. When I working many people would have chipped in to send me there. Going back to your other report, don't be too unhappy with not seeing the GRS on Jupiter, I have not seen it for months with larger scopes but I fell mine is a timing issue. It is not so 'standout' this year, so I am told and the colour is paler. Keep trying.

Thanks Alan. I'm not quite sure why I never looked properly before, because I really enjoyed it.

Re GRS, I think you have the wrong guy - I haven't looked at Jupiter since November, and I don't remember mentioning the GRS then?

[rory]

It looks like we've all moved to lunar observing out of desperation but ended up getting quite into it.

Nice report!

does seem like the moon is in at the moment (lol) . i admit i enjoyed it too.

[Mike73]

does seem like the moon is in at the moment (lol) . i admit i enjoyed it too.

As much as I enjoy the moon its still not half as good as a night DSO hunting....remember those nights?

[Double Kick Drum]

As much as I enjoy the moon its still not half as good as a night DSO hunting....remember those nights?

Vaguely. I did have a couple of short sessions on the 1st and 2nd of this month but haven't had a big session since October!!!

I had hoped to break the 200 galaxy barrier this season but I am going to fall some way short of that.

[Mike73]

Vaguely. I did have a couple of short sessions on the 1st and 2nd of this month but haven't had a big session since October!!!

Well lets hope April is going to be good for your trip to Cornwall and the weeks leave I have booked over the new moon!