Lunar 100 observing report 21.4.2010

[Doc]

21.4.2010

Meade Lightbridge 16" F4.5 FL1829mm

Lunation 7.28 days

Phase 89.3°

Illumination 50.7%

Archimedes Number 27

Archimedes is a very large crater 50 miles in diameter and 6500 feet in height and has no central peak, it's steep walls looked fantastic in 12.5 and 9mm orthos with the sunlight illuminating top of the cliffs making it a very magical scene. Two great craters nearby they are Autolycus and Aristilus the latter has some interesting ejecta rays emerging from it. Below Archimedes are some fantastic mountains which leads into many rilles. A very interesting area that was really bought to life with my orthoscopic eyepieces.

Hadley Rille Number 66

Half way between Archiemedes and the Hadley Mountains is an area called Palus Putredinis, if you follow the Hadley Rille until you come a cove like formation this is where Apollo 15 landed on the moon. It was launched on 26 July 1971 from Cape Kennedy at 13.34, Apollo 15 was sent to test the lunar soil and to activate surface sismometers. Apollo 15 Impacted on August 3. 1971 at 03.03. Through my 6mm Ortho I can trace with the help of VMA the exact area the lunar module landed. It's really wonderful to be able to see this area, as a child I always fascinated by the Apollo moon landings and now I know exactly where this remarkable event occured.

Alphonsus dark spots Number 47

A very large crater 71 miles in diameter and 8400 feet in height, Alphonsus comes from the Nectarian (From -3.92 billions years to -3.85 billions years) period in the Moon's history, it's central peak was very prominent and the light illuminated the top of the central peak. Unfortunately never got to see the dark lave spots that are meant to come from volcanos on the crater basin floor as the floor was dark for ages even after the terminator had departed the area, just goes to show how deep the wonderful crater is. The view through my 6mm ortho at x304 was astonishing, so much detail emerged.

Gylden Valley Number 92

Lying in between Herschel, Sporer and Gylden is the Gylden Valley, through the 6 mm ortho at x304 I could detect the complete length of the valley and saw the illuminted sunshine bouncing of the top of the cliffs. The valley walls clip the sout west side of the Crater Gylden. The surrounding area is dotted with craters and peaks and is full of interesting geological features.

Hipparchus Number 28

A very large crater with deformed and wrecked sides, it was the place where TinTin landed on the Moon in the Herge novels. Few high walls to the North by Horrocks and to the East by Hipparchus G. Very large flat floor containing Hipparchus N and the ghost crater Hipparchus X which could be seen pretty well in the 6 mm ortho it looked like a horeshoe with one side of its crater walls totally missing. The crater was formed in the Pre-Nectarian (From -4.55 billions years to -3.92 billions years) period and is 91 miles in diameter and of unknown height.

Regiomontanus central peak Number 46

A pretty large irregular shape crater 76 miles in diameter and of unknown height, cut into it's western side by the crater Purbach. Through the 9mm ortho at x203 it looks like the central peak of Regiomontanus is attached to the western slope of Purbach. The sun illuminated the central peak really well. The area between Purbach, Regiomontanus and Werner is the area fabled for the Lunar X sightings. This is a very impacted and confusing area to observe, so much happening that my eye was always capturing objects to look at.

W Bond Number 76

On the northern limb of the moon just on the shores of Mare Frigoris is the crater W Bond, a wrecked formation crater 96 miles in diameter and of unknown height it has a few steep slopes, with the 6mm ortho inserted I could clearly make out two internal craters the bigger called W Bond B at 9 miles in diameter and the smaller W Bond C at 4 miles in diameter. W Bond is the most northernly member of the 100 club but through the 12.5 ortho at x146 really stood out.

[jgs001]

Good report Mick, and a few ticked on the lunar 100... I'm thinking I ought to go back and try and finish mine off...

[Talitha]

Great report Mick, i was cruising around Luna last night, too. The seeing was incredible. The upper portion of Hadley Rille was very distinct (8"SCT) and i could easily separate the shadowed northern side of the rille from the sunlit southern side. I bet it looks like the Grand Canyon in the Lightbridge.

[russ]

wow excellent report as always Doc. You're really cracking through this list. I must really take a stab at the Lunar 100, may help me learn the craters a bit better.

[Doc]

I bet it looks like the Grand Canyon in the Lightbridge.

You could drive a bus through it Carol

[Talitha]

I think an ant might fit into what i saw.

[PeterW]

GGGRRRRR! Rima Birt and Catena Davey were my successes of yesterday. Tried for the Hadley rille.. but like the Treisneker rilles some of the little things on the Lunar100 keep evading me. I think I will need to invest in some more aperture and a binoviewer! You sound like you'll clear the list pretty soon!

Cheers

PEterW

[DarkerSky]

Another superb report Mick.