Moon Convert

[Astro Imp]

Until recently I have more or less ignored out nearest neighbour.

I now realise how much I have been missing. Having read numerous times about the Lunar 100 I decided to see what all the fuss was about so set about having a serious look. 

Over the last few evenings, the first decent conditions for some time, I made a start with the help of The Virtual Moon Atlas. Some of the sights have blown me away just as much as the best double stars and DSO objects. 

I find that instead of having a quick glance and then moaning because the moon was flooding the sky with light I have have spent several hours cruising the terminator. 

Part of tonight's observing was spent on Aristarchus and the surrounding area. This wonderful crater looked to be made of porcelain, so different from the surrounds and then looking west to Herodotus I spotted a curved valley going to the north and looping round and heading south, I came in and searched The Lunar Field Atlas and identified this as Schroter's Valley (perhaps one of you more experienced Lunar observers could confirm this)

Other great nights have been spent with Gassendi, a great place to spend time, Clavius and the Alpine Valley.

As you can see I am a convert to Lunar observing and would thoroughly recommend this to others.

[nightfisher]

What a superb post, the Luna surface is a place to gaze in wonder, so many wonderful objects to search out, this is why i enjoy the Moon so very much, i find it slightly odd that people who are keen on imaging frown on the Moon rather than point a scope at it and take advantage of a clear night and big bright object to view and image

[Floater]

+1 for the moon, from me.

I think that sometimes people switch off because she's always there. Easy to observe and, so, maybe there's not enough of a 'challenge'.

But there is much reward. The terminator rules, of course, changing the views and the contrast on features. The terrain is so interesting that, as you found Alan, you can spend hours and never get bored. An added bonus is that you can view the moon in daylight; just as gorgeous but with what seems to be a new perspective - a new 'take' on the features.

Take advantage of that ease of observing. Luna is not second best, she's the biz!

[Owmuchonomy]

I find that friends and neighbours who are casual observers through my scopes migrate back to the moon frequently in the night. The addition of an 8mm Baader Hyperion onto my 9.25 SCT can generate a few wows from them in good seeing conditions. I need to find a good iPad compatible atlas. Any tips?

[John]

Excellent stuff Alan

There are some amazing, beautiful and challenging sights to see on the Moon. For me, having been around when the Apollo astronauts walked there, the lunar surface has a certain fascination that just keeps drawing me back

[Floater]

Chris, Moon Globe is my constant companion on the iPad while moon watching.

[nightfisher]

Being a self confessed Luna hed, i wish i had started this thread, but it would not be right for me to start as i have never been any thing but a Luna head!

As John very rightly said, there is some amazing and very challenging features to search out, and i might be a few years younger than John but i also grew up with the Apollo Luna missions, the sort of thing that is going really fire the imagination of a very young lad 

[ronl]

Our Moon is a wonderful target to observe, even when the cloud is being 

a pain, there is so much to see, if the seeing is poor for other targets then

our Moon gives you an opportunity to have an enjoyable session, I can spend

hours and hours enjoying it's beauty.

[Astro Imp]

Like several of you have remarked I too remember the excitement of Apollo and watching the grainy jittery images on the TV with Sir Patrick's explanations of what the astronauts were likely to find. A truly wonderful time.

[Peter Drew]

Alan. I can confirm that you did see Schroter's Valley, it was well placed at the time, it is more than a valley, it would make the Grand Canyon look like a scratch on the surface by comparison. Aristarchus is noted for its relative brightness, the " shadow bands" on its inner walls and also being the site of several  transient lunar phenomina.    

[dick_dangerous]

I'm convinced that the best target to "Wow" non-astronomers is the moon. It's instant gratification soaring over all those craters and mountain peaks. It is my on-going mission to observe more moon!

DD

[Helen]

Lovely report  

I've just had an enjoyable 15 minutes between clouds viewing the Moontoo.  The Telementor really does make the features stand out  - craters overlaid by craters overlaid by craters on the edge tonight (must look up what I saw!)  And I got Mike out for 5 minutes (despite his heavy cold!), and he enjoyed it too.

Helen

[Pig]

Great write up Alan

I have never understood the hatred some folk have for the Moon, it is such a wonderful and interesting object to study. Personally I spend quite a lot of time observing the Moon, as it happens my wife calls me "Moon Pig"

[Ruud]

Craters, craters everywhere.

I love the Moon. It's never the same.

[michaelmorris]

Welcome to the brotherhood of lunatics.

[trynda1701]

A couple of weeks back, just before First Quarter, I was out testing my new 130P Flexitube. The detail visible just wowed me, and I own a Celestron C8!

I think it was the fact that I was out observing in just five mins or so, and so didn't have to wait for the 130P to cool down as much as the C8 would have needed. It just seemed so crisp and detailed, and I spent over an hour just generally observing, and trying different eyepieces to test the new scope out. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

Mark

[StarSapling]

I have plotted the landing sites for the Apollo, Luna and Surveyor missions on my Hatfield Atlas, and when I'm observing Luna, I like to pause over these areas and think about what happened and what is still sitting there.  It brings back memories of those days when I was a child.

[mariosi]

Excellent report Alan.

'Come,come to see the moon!'

The Sidewalk Astronomers,free astronomy.

Kind Regards

                     Marios

[Moonshane]

in a way hating the moon is as daft as hating the sun. both destroy the darkness we all crave yet reward the observer with ever-changing detail. they both offer lots of interest for me.

[RichM63]

I love observing the Moon. I just wish that it was warm, then I would have the best of everything.

I can always get a WOW from passing Sunday strollers if I'm out on a sunny afternoon. Had a group of rambling young Cavaliers that made a point of tethering in the field one weekend and requesting a view.

Great session, resulting in thanks by the way of a brace of Pheasants being hooked to my door handle + a note from one of the fathers on the Monday.

Thanks to the Moon, I ate well that week.

[todd8137]

I prefer the moon to dso's I am obsessed with it craters never look the same and the shadows are just brill imaging it and just make in videos of moon drifting by I love it

Pat