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What do you observe during a full moon?


RobertI

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I've just been out on a rare clear night even though it's a full moon. What to observe? Well, I got out the 102ED and binoviewers and observed ........ the full moon! At 85x the whole moon fitted easily into the field of view and I decided to get to know the lunar geography a bit better. I started by using the Concise Guide to the Moon, Mars and Venus (Rukl) but found it a bit clunky for low power observing, and ended up using an excellent iphone app called Moon Maps which gives you a map of interesting things to view at each day of the moon's cycle - perfect for what I needed. At 85x it was easy to identify the key features, including some smaller features such as Messier, Mount Pico and Vallis Schroteri. I tried upping the magnification to 175x but really didn't feel like I was getting much more interest, and reverted back to full lunar disc, which seems very large anyway through binoviewers. After spending a wonderfully peaceful and relaxing ninety minutes finding craters, mountains, valleys and rilles I packed away a happy bunny. 

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Yes it is bright, not so bad with a 4” aperture and binoviewers though- seems to be worse with just one eye too. I might try a polarising filter next time, looks like another clear night tomorrow. 🙂

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Nice report Rob. I find a neutral density Moon filter (or two!) is essential at the fuller phases. What is the app that you mention? I have searched ‘Moon Maps’, but the closest it brings up is ‘Moon Phase Photo Maps’ - is that the one you used? Thanks, Gav.

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I don't use a filter but last night I found it difficult as the seeing didn't really support using a high enough power to sufficiently dim the image with the 4" refractor.  When the Moon is at this phase though you can also observe double stars!

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1 hour ago, PhotoGav said:

Nice report Rob. I find a neutral density Moon filter (or two!) is essential at the fuller phases. What is the app that you mention? I have searched ‘Moon Maps’, but the closest it brings up is ‘Moon Phase Photo Maps’ - is that the one you used? Thanks, Gav.

Hi Gav, yes it’s Moon Phase Photo Maps, my bad. I found it nice and simple for a quick low power view when I haven’t prepared a list. 

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1 hour ago, RobertI said:

Hi Gav, yes it’s Moon Phase Photo Maps, my bad. I found it nice and simple for a quick low power view when I haven’t prepared a list. 

Thanks Rob. Looks like an interesting and useful app 👍

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1 hour ago, Davesellars said:

I don't use a filter but last night I found it difficult as the seeing didn't really support using a high enough power to sufficiently dim the image with the 4" refractor.  When the Moon is at this phase though you can also observe double stars!

Yes, I spent a nice couple of hours last night observing doubles, it was great fun.

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Yes I continue CCD photometry of variables during full moon. I experience less sensitivity of course, but I might get an important observation that would otherwise be missed.

I remember a few years during an important dwarf nova outburst we had a total lunar eclipse, which was great!

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3 hours ago, Davesellars said:

I found it difficult as the seeing didn't really support using a high enough power to sufficiently

Yes it started well, but seemed to deteriorate to a wobbly mess by the end. 

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I'm always up for observing a full moon, and planets/doubles are also on.

On winter when it's dark for longer you can also get some dsos if you are observing the opposite bit of sky while the moon is still low.

At low magnifications I may use a nd0.9 filter and on daylight or at dusk a polarising filter sometimes cleanes up some of the scatter.

I try various colour filters when it's a full moon . They don't really bring out more detail but I find they highlight different features to my eye.

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Me too! Even when supposedly full, there is normally a tiny bit of terminator somewhere to provide some interest, and it’s always interesting to pick out features and, as Mike says, follow all the ray traces. I always look out for Messier and Messier A as well which is always visible.

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