Montes Apenninus

[Mak the Night]

I observed the Waning Gibbous Moon from around 01:30 BST to 04:45 BST (Transit 05:33). Azimuth 295.2° SE, altitude 18.3°, illumination 71.6%  to azimuth 345.1 S, altitude 37.3°, illumination 70.2%, 371, 059 km distant (Pisces).

Magnifications ranged between 32x, 60x, 150x, 225x, 281x and 300x depending on conditions. Mostly they were at 300x and 281x. A Baader Neodymium filter was predominantly used with a TS Optics (GSO) ND96-0.6 occasionally on lower magnifications. Transparency was above average with wispy cloud appearing roughly during the middle of the session.

A 130mm Newtonian telescope on a manual EQ mount was used throughout the session. Eyepieces utilised: TeleVue 2.5x Powermate, TeleVue 2x Barlow, Celestron (GSO) 32mm Plossl, Antares 15mm M.C. Plossl, TeleVue 11mm Plossl, Baader 10mm Eudiascopic, TeleVue 8mm Plossl and an Astro Hutech 6mm Abbe orthoscopic.

Eudoxus and Aristoteles were quite apparent, The Mare Serenitatis and Mare Vaporum were very clear and quite a bit of detail perceived, Copernicus was quite vivid. Terminator detail as a whole was very striking. The Southern Highlands were very distinct even away from the Terminator with Clavius quite prominent.

The Montes Apenninus and Mare Imbrium were very clear with Mons Pico being very easily visible.

The Montes Apenninus were particularly crisp even at 300x and Mons Bradley was easily discerned as it caught the sunlight. 

Images by courtesy of VMA, QuickMap and Google Earth.