Finding something new on the Moon

[The Warthog]

We had an impromptu barbecue today, and eight of the nine people who we invited showed up for a wonderful diiner of pork tenderloin and chicken skewers cooked up by your Warthog. Later in the eveing, when people were deciding to go home, I took the cove off the scope and offered our guests a look. Some came to see, and were totally blown away by the sight of Jupiter looking as big as the Moon, and with the four moons accompanying it. After they had all left, I turned the scope on the Moon, as there was something I particularly wanted to nail down, as I`ll explain later.

I didn`t reallize how slight a part of the Moon is shadowed at the moment, although it looked deeper due to an unfavorable libration (i.e. the Moon is tilted away from us on that side.) As a result, I had a little trouble interpreting the map, and missed a few goodies, however, I`ll stick to what I did see. Moving south from Crisium, anyway, you encounter a few lovely big craters, first Firmicus, then the slightly smaller Apollonius. Then cross the corner of Mare Fecunditatis (Sea of Fertility) along the border of Mare Spumans (Foaming Sea) to Langrenus, about 136km wide.

In Fecunditatis, not far from the Eastern shore, I found two dorsae, Geikie and Mawson, both named for fairly recent explorers who both died in the 20th century, and in the middle a neat little crater called Lindbergh, named after the famous aviator. i don`t know if I`ve encountered this before, but it made a neat little picture.

The next large crater is Petavius, which appeared to me to have a little crater like a dimple in the middle, but on the map is part of Rimae Petavius, a fairly complicated structure on the floor of the crater.

As I said, I was getting a little confused by the map at this point, but I saw three craters right on the terminator along the northern part of it, that I now know to be Pontecoulant, Helmholtz and Demonax.

Moving north from Crisium, you encounter the neat trio of Cleomedes, Burckhardt, and Geminus, and after that I really did get confused. I totally missed Atlas and Hercules, although i did spot the dark-floored Endymion. I gave up at that point and came back inside, after covering the scope, as everything was getting wet. Atlas and Hercules will still be there tomorrow.

Anyway, there is something in Crisium that I have been trying to see for about two years. Toward the east side of the sea, just to the west of Dorsa Harker, is a group of four very small craters, which Patrick Moore titles `Barker`s Quadrangle` and tonight, by waiting for clear moments and straining my patience and eyesight to the limit, I saw them. A small victory to be sure, but to me it felt huge.

[iamjulian]

Hi Warthog, if you were using the C6N, mind if I ask what kind of magnification you were observing the moon at?

And what kind of rub did you use for the tenderloin?

[The Warthog]

I was using the Vixen-Antares refractor, at 210x and 133x. I used 210x looking for Barker`s Quadrangle, and 133x otherwise.

I coated the tenderloin in black pepper, onion sallt, and a collection called `Mediterranean Spice`. I seared it on the outside then stuck a meat thermometer in on of them and moved it to the upper shelf while I roasted the vegetables as well. I got high praise for the food.

[crepitis]

Warthog, I must admit that while I was fascinated reading your account of your Lunar observation I was ,at the back of my mind ,thinking about your Barbecue , it sounded delicious

[The Warthog]

I went out tonight, and watched Jupiter for a short time, but as there wasn't any shadow transit or GBS transit due, I turned my attention back to the Moon, which was rising through thin cloud. I really only had time to confirm Atlas and Hercules, and take a quick run up the terminator, before cloud began to really interfere. I looked up and saw a fine mackerel sky, which is usually a precursor to a warm front and days of rain. After it became obvious that I wasn't going to be able to do any serious moonstaring tonight, I packed up. I checked the weather forecast, and we are in for a week of rain, after a great week of clear skies. What yer makes up on the swings...