Clavius And Plato - Exercise In Contrast

[cloudsweeper]

4.50pm Weds. - Bresser Dob - sky clearish, but with much thin cloud around.  Moon just past first quarter.

Plato, north of Mare Imbrium - x159 - jagged shadow cast onto Plato's floor by its eastern rim.  Alpine Valley very clear further east.  At x212, the view was less stable, so down to x190 and on to Clavius in the heavily cratered south.  Very different to Plato, nestling amongst smooth seas.  (I hoped to see some of the little pits in Plato's floor again, but light and stability weren't favourable.)

The west side of Clavius was on the terminator, arcing through the darkness, and around that region were several small silvery peaks in the blackness looking like chains of stars - a lovely spectacle, and a most interesting region in these lighting conditions.

The three biggest craters in Clavius's floor were easily seen, Rutherford (sometimes Rutherfurd) being the largest, with its central peak standing out as a bright spot.  All three were like silver rings, with darkened, shadowy floors.  

I also spotted a fourth and smaller craterlet within Clavius, to the north east.  (Three similar ones further west were lost in the shadows there.)

One hour and 15 minutes of enjoyment then, with surprises and unusual effects from Luna as usual!

Doug.