Lunar Boredom

[Sunshine]

Do you find the moon still holds your attention after having examined it’s features over decades? having observed the moon so many countless times, I find that it tends to fall off my target list. If I am observing through a new scope which could reveal details another scope could not, then it becomes a new moon, a new challenge. Maybe I should learn how to sketch lunar details, this would add a whole new perspective on lunar details. Am I making any sense? as this could be said of any object, yet I never seem to loose interest in most other objects, I can marvel at the same planets and double stars over and over yet the moon with it’s wealth of features sometimes feel like more of the same. Maybe it is too easy a target, taken for granted.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Sunshine

[Pete Presland]

Sometimes it is the only object i can see due to light pollution and if the phase is approaching full. I personally never get bored looking along the terminator seeing the effects the shadows have on the different areas and how they change appearance in a short period of time.

I also enjoy imaging and sometimes sketching the Moon as well, my sketching is very poor though.

[Stu]

I’m another who never gets bored with the Moon. I have favourite phases, but will observe it even when full as there is normally always a tiny bit of terminator to see. Sometimes I make the effort to identify features, others I just surf across the surface and enjoy the view. It’s not going anywhere so I think we might aswell enjoy it.

[RobertI]

3 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Do you find the moon still holds your attention after having examined it’s features over decades? having observed the moon so many countless times, I find that it tends to fall off my target list. If I am observing through a new scope which could reveal details another scope could not, then it becomes a new moon, a new challenge. Maybe I should learn how to sketch lunar details, this would add a whole new perspective on lunar details. Am I making any sense? as this could be said of any object, yet I never seem to loose interest in most other objects, I can marvel at the same planets and double stars over and over yet the moon with it’s wealth of features sometimes feel like more of the same. Maybe it is too easy a target, taken for granted.

Although I’ve been observing for a long time, the moon has just never excited me, and as a result I still know shockingly little about the lunar surface. When I discovered the bino-viewing experience, and the wow factor they give on moon and planets, I was hopeful that I would do more lunar, but it’s not yet happened. Recently I did enjoy discovering lunar domes and I’m sure there are plenty of other types of feature I need to discover, but I’ve not been tempted out again. Perhaps I just need a good lunar observing book to inspire me……..

[Peter Drew]

We all have different levels of interest.  Double stars for instance, low magnification one star, high magnification, all being well, two stars and that is all the detail you are going to see.  Whereas the Moon..............     🙂

[Mr Spock]

After 50 years of observing the moon I am still fascinated by it. With various illuminations and small detail when the seeing is good, it's endless wonder 👍

[Guest]

I have a love hate relationship with the moon.  I do enjoy observing it as it goes through its phases up to about 3/4 full.  When its full it is invariably on our clearest nights and it completely wrecks a good night.  

[bosun21]

I don’t think that I’ll grow tired of observing the moon. I find that there’s always something new to observe and see in the changing shadows cast upon its surface. I am at present going through a list of the top 100 lunar targets.

[bomberbaz]

There are times I miss the mak for the moon. The compact size had a lot to be said for it.

Fitted perfectly on the little az gti which allowed you to really relax at the eyepiece at very high power (+250) and really tease out minute detail along the mountain ranges, craters or channels.

[Naughty Neal]

Adding sketching to the seeing adds another  element  whilst at the EP, no matter how good the drawing skills.  One may find they tease out detail that may have gone unnoticed previously.

[mikeDnight]

15 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Do you find the moon still holds your attention after having examined it’s features over decades? having observed the moon so many countless times, I find that it tends to fall off my target list. If I am observing through a new scope which could reveal details another scope could not, then it becomes a new moon, a new challenge. Maybe I should learn how to sketch lunar details, this would add a whole new perspective on lunar details. Am I making any sense? as this could be said of any object, yet I never seem to loose interest in most other objects, I can marvel at the same planets and double stars over and over yet the moon with it’s wealth of features sometimes feel like more of the same. Maybe it is too easy a target, taken for granted.

I understand your feelings. I think the best way to observe the Moon is to decide on a little project. For me, I love the challenge of tracing rilles at the limit of observability, and find that using a binoviewer greatly improves the sensitivity of my vision. I do like to sketch what I see but find that with the Moon, even the simplest of targets rapidly becomes a formidable task even in a small scope. So I decided to study crater floors and try to ignore the terrace walls. It's amazing what fascinating detail is visible throughout a lunation. And another pet interest for me is hunting ghost craters. These are craters that have been largely or even totally submerged beneath the basalt lava planes. Their ghostly outlines can often be seen when the high Sun lights up the plane, and you get an idea of how the surface appeared before the region was filled with lava. The Moon is not monotone in colour either, and at low power when near to full, the subtle differences in colour tone can be nice to observe. Also, around impact craters with bright ejecta you can at times see an orange hue depending on the lighting, which is apparently caused by tiny glass beads which are a product of the impact. And then there are Clangers!! 

Here are some of my observations of crater floors -

As with this observation of Cyrillus, it can be helpful to ignore the surrounding terrain as the task can become too daunting. I'm not skilled enough or fast enough to draw several features at once.

Keeping things simple is difficult as there's always far too much detail to draw. Here I set out to record the basic outline of the Alpine Valley but the real purpose of the sketch was to show the central rille along the valley's length, and Elgar's rille crossing the valley width.

Rays can be fun to trace under full Sun.

And interesting shadows can offer spectacular sights as well as reveal the caldera pits in many of the lunar domes.

Edited August 29, 2023 by mikeDnight

[josefk]

Really really like your isolated Bettinus at the top there @mikeDnight and your Cyrillus with just a suggestion of context. I also really like your rendering of the Alpine Valley - very subtle. Very nice.

Edited August 29, 2023 by josefk

[IB20]

I’ve got more interested in the moon the more regions, areas and phases I have observed and learned about. At the start of my observing journey I’d look at the moon and just see crater after crater and kind of get a bit lost. Having a lunar atlas has really helped develop my intrigue and interest in observing our nearest neighbour.

[Sunshine]

2 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I understand your feelings. I think the best way to observe the Moon is to decide on a little project. For me, I love the challenge of tracing rilles at the limit of observability, and find that using a binoviewer greatly improves the sensitivity of my vision. I do like to sketch what I see but find that with the Moon, even the simplest of targets rapidly becomes a formidable task even in a small scope. So I decided to study crater floors and try to ignore the terrace walls. It's amazing what fascinating detail is visible throughout a lunation. And another pet interest for me is hunting ghost craters. These are craters that have been largely or even totally submerged beneath the basalt lava planes. Their ghostly outlines can often be seen when the high Sun lights up the plane, and you get an idea of how the surface appeared before the region was filled with lava. The Moon is not monotone in colour either, and at low power when near to full, the subtle differences in colour tone can be nice to observe. Also, around impact craters with bright ejecta you can at times see an orange hue depending on the lighting, which is apparently caused by tiny glass beads which are a product of the impact. And then there are Clangers!! 

Here are some of my observations of crater floors -

As with this observation of Cyrillus, it can be helpful to ignore the surrounding terrain as the task can become too daunting. I'm not skilled enough or fast enough to draw several features at once.

Keeping things simple is difficult as there's always far too much detail to draw. Here I set out to record the basic outline of the Alpine Valley but the real purpose of the sketch was to show the central rille along the valley's length, and Elgar's rille crossing the valley width.

Rays can be fun to trace under full Sun.

And interesting shadows can offer spectacular sights as well as reveal the caldera pits in many of the lunar domes.

Wow, your lunar sketches are inspiring! I must start looking at the moon in more detai and TRY sketching my observations.

[The60mmKid]

I empathize in ways. I want to be more interested in the moon than I am. What doesn't seem so interesting to me are the various names of lunar features. But if I learn about the geology and history, maybe it'll change my perspective. Someday I'll make myself complete the Astronomical League lunar observing programs, which I think will help me come around.

[John]

Having been heavily influenced by the Apollo missions in the late 1960's and by Sir Patrick Moore's enthusiasm for it, I simply can't help remaining entranced by the moon and it's varying features (varying through phase and libration changes).

Over the past few years I have found the 21st Century Atlas of the Moon by Charles A Wood and Maurice J S Collins has greatly enhanced my interest and appreciation of lunar features.

So I doubt that I'll ever become bored of Selene 🙂 

[Franklin]

Lunar boredom???

How can you be bored of the Moon???

It's out of this world, in fact it is another world and right on our doorstep.

It's the most breathtakingly, amazing object to observe in the whole night-sky!

(I can understand why the imaging fraternity hate it though!)

Most folk observe in the evening (no late nights, job etc.) and the Moon is in the evening sky around the same time every month showing a waxing crescent, first quarter and gibbous phase. The full Moon is due south at midnight and most 9to5 workers need their sleep so the post midnight waning phases of the Moon are probably the least observed. If you are really bored of the Moon set your alarm for an early morning session and be prepared to observe the Moon in a completely different light. A waning gibbous, last quarter and crescent phase, illuminated from the other side shows the lunar landscape in a totally different way.

[The60mmKid]

3 minutes ago, Franklin said:

It's the most breathtakingly, amazing object to observe in the whole night-sky!

No way. HJL 1088 is the best.

[Franklin]

2 hours ago, The60mmKid said:

No way. HJL 1088 is the best.

What's that then?

If it's more impressive than the Moon I want to have a look!

[Mr Magoo]

I find the Moon endlessly fascinating. Our rather large neighbour has a wealth of information available, images, history, observing targets. So many interesting aspects. 

I bought myself Luna Cognita by Garfinkle earlier this year. Though I have only managed to dip into it now and again, it's a great reference set, and encourages me to learn more.

I will be plotting out all the Apollo landing sites and visiting them fairly soon, this thread is another reminder.