Lunar X Night - June 20 2018

[iPeace]

Last night was one of those Lunar nights...just so much to see. If you really set out to name all the most interestingly-lit, or otherwise visible, features, you get quite a list. Mine is below.

We were set up well before dark, as it doesn't really get dark now and when finally it (sort of) would, Luna would be behind neighbours' houses. So Big Lunar Scope (6" f/8 Newtonian) set-up took place in daylight, as the Moon hovered into my front-garden viewing arena. Conditions were good, I'd say, and once settled in I used the 3.5mm Pentax XW for 342x throughout.

I cruised along the terminator and tried to take it all in; very dramatic as always in this phase. I figured I had the time to catalogue, so I decided to look up and record the names of those best on show and then maybe seek out particulars. In Newtonian orientation, I went from South to North.

• Amundsen
• Scott
• Schomberger
• Simpelius complex
• Curtius & neighbours
• Zach complex - with its A, D, E and F craters seemingly purposefully and symmetrically placed on the rim
• Jacobi
• Lilius
• Heraclitus complex (with Cuvier, Lilius D and Licetus) - with its 'central spine' and the area between it and Licetus F particularly dramatic looking
• Stöfler-Faraday complex
• Clairaut
• Maurolycus
• Gemma Frisius
• Nonius
• Walther
• Aliacensis
• Werner
• Blanchinus
• Lunar X
• Delaunay
• La Caille E
• Playfair complex
• Parrot C - with its fascinating channel down to its companion
• Parrot
• Albategnius - with its strange central feature and Klein having obliterated a good part of the rim; B crater still half in shadow
• Hipparchus complex
• Rhaeticus - the current lighting making it look like a massive volcanic caldera; something from an old King Kong movie
• Godin
• Agrippa
• Triesnecker, with Rimae
• Lunar V, with Ukert M and N
• Rima Hyginus
• Manilius
• Sulpicius Gallus M - amazingly bright little impact crater
• Conon
• Menelaus
• Serenetatis Dark Edges
• Fresnel Pillars - at least, so they seem in the current lighting opposite Autolycus
• Autolycus
• Aristillus
• Theaetetus
• Calippus complex
• Cassini
• Eudoxus
• Aristoteles
• Egede
• Vallis Alpes - a dark dagger blade still
• Protagoras
• Archytas
• W. Bond
• Barrow
• Linne
• Valentine Dome - I think I just glimpsed it...
• Sulpicius Gallus, with Rimae - perhaps its Dark Mantle?
• ...and a faint Bessel Ray

Even as I was taking down the names, I was wondering whether such a list is worth reporting; it is, after all, mostly just names...and when looking at these features on a computer screen, they tend to be a bit bland and their appearance then belies just how complex they are. Any one of them under favourable lighting becomes something worth gazing at and examining for hours on end, and when so many of them are so well lit, well...riches.

So last night's list is for what it's worth; it was a very good session.

When finally the Moon took its dive behind the local dwellings, I went on to Jupiter. Still haven't gotten used to the effects of aperture (compared to small fracs), it appears so bright and although I do see that there is more detail, the brightness makes it hard to discern. I suppose I'll try a filter - or wait a few years until the planets are a bit higher for us, that might help as well.

Mu Librae was next; finally cracked it. Had not been able to split with any of my fracs, but with the Newt I did get a clear pair, one atop the other. Satisfying, but not (yet?) very inspiring, not an immediate favourite. Izar surely would be nicer; well it was, but the view wasn't as nice as it is in a TV-85.

Hercules was overhead - a Newt does globs, of course, so why don't I... ah. Bespin - Cloud City.

[John]

Just a list of names but each and every one carries a fascinating story

No wonder Sir Patrick Moore spent such a lot of his life observing and mapping the moon !

Great report Mike

[scarp15]

Very stimulating session Mike, the VX6L is delivering and fabulous that you stepped up and kept on with the 3.5mm Pentax to scrutinise the lunar surface. The moon appeared in great shape from here to last night, alas was not to be a telescope night unfortunately.

[cv01jw]

I'd love to get to the point where I can wander along the terminator identifying and naming features - excellent write up

Cannot wait for my lunar map(s) to arrive so I can get started.

[iPeace]

Just now, cv01jw said:

I'd love to get to the point where I can wander along the terminator identifying and naming features - excellent write up

Cannot wait for my lunar map(s) to arrive so I can get started.

At the scope, I use an 'app' on phone or tablet. My current tool is named LunarMap HD.

[cv01jw]

4 minutes ago, iPeace said:

At the scope, I use an 'app' on phone or tablet. My current tool is named LunarMap HD.

Thanks, I will take a look.

Takes a little of the magic away though - I thought you had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Moon!

[JohnSadlerAstro]

1 hour ago, cv01jw said:

I thought you had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Moon!

Nah, he's just being modest!  

I'm amazed at the number of features you saw--I'm ashamed to admit that I just look at the moon, not study it. I ought to take up lunar observing properly with my new frac, (that is, once I offload some ancient kit and buy an EQ3 )

John

[John]

I have that app and it is good. More often though I find myself having my copy of "21st Century Atlas of the Moon" by Charles A Wood beside me when lunar observing. A mine of information

[iPeace]

8 minutes ago, John said:

I have that app and it is good. More often though I find myself having my copy of "21st Century Atlas of the Moon" by Charles A Wood beside me when lunar observing. A mine of information

I agree - I own a copy and enjoy it. I use it to study and prepare sessions.

[scarp15]

Another nice phase tonight, so got outside with my 16x70 binoculars / monopod and sat on my back yard bench watching the light capturing the Plato rim, with Mt Pico lit up, Goldschmidt  prominently crown like in the north. In the south, Clavius sliced and hollowed, Moretus dark and prominent, great who needs TV. 

[iPeace]

19 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

Another nice phase tonight, so got outside with my 16x70 binoculars / monopod and sat on my back yard bench watching the light capturing the Plato rim, with Mt Pico lit up, Goldschmidt  prominently crown like in the north. In the south, Clavius sliced and hollowed, Moretus dark and prominent, great who needs TV. 

Was out again with the VX6L - but the seeing wasn't quite there for highest magnification. So we backed off to 100x and enjoyed. Moretus was great, as was the Straight Wall. When, as tonight, Tycho is not fully in view, its direct surroundings are done full justice.

[John]

Good one here this evening. The Rupes Recta (Straight Wall) and craters Birt and Birt A looked amazing under this evenings illumination 

I love this Apollo 16 image of that area - the "wall" is far from straight !

 

[johnfosteruk]

Cracking report. An impressive haul. Well done for the Valentine Dome. 

[cv01jw]

10 hours ago, John said:

I have that app and it is good. More often though I find myself having my copy of "21st Century Atlas of the Moon" by Charles A Wood beside me when lunar observing. A mine of information

Funnily enough, at about half past ten last night my neighbour stuck her head over the fence (I jumped a mile) with a parcel for me.  It was the 21st Century Atlas of the Moon!  It is a great little book, looking forward to reading the technical stuff at the front later today.

I was impressed with myself that I managed to locate and identify things from a sketch i made earlier in the evening - at the time I had no idea what I was looking out but sketched it because it stood out close to the terminator.  Turned out to be the Straight Wall, along with some finer detail of the features and craters around it.  Was particularly pleased to see I had picked up the faint crescent shape at the southern tip of the wall - I think the light helped bring this out a lot.