plato craterlets

[Gadget]

Managed to see the plato craterlets at last (31.09.10) around 1am

Been trying to catch these for a while now but just seen them as sort of white dots but conditions last night must have been very good as I managed to clearly resolve A,B,C,D as real pits/craters and they looked fantastic just sitting there on that flat bed and could also see a nice space between C,D

Started off at 17mm (138x) and it really was an incredible sight and worked the mag up from there I settled on the 9mm TMB (261x) as was still razor sharp and a fantastic view I spent a good hour just looking at it

Just before I packed I thought I would push my luck and try the 6mm TMB (391x) and was quite shocked just how crisp it still was but as hard as I looked could still see no more than A,B,C,D although the space between C,D was quite big now and much clearer

all in all I was very pleased and had a great viewing session

Kevin

[ngcpeeper]

wow that is some serious magnification!

It sounds like you really had some good seeing.

[John]

The conditions and your scope were clearly top notch Kevin - well done !.

I've seen 4 with my 6" refractor under ideal conditions - the challenge is to see them as actual crater pits rather than just albedo features - sounds like you managed that really well

[johninderby]

Yes the conditions do have to be just right to see A,B,C,D as proper craters. I have had good views of them and hints of some of the even smaller ones with my FLT98 with a barlowed 6mm Ethos when the light and seeing were just right.

Bring on the 3.7mm Ethos

John

[Gadget]

The conditions and your scope were clearly top notch Kevin - well done !.

I've seen 4 with my 6" refractor under ideal conditions - the challenge is to see them as actual crater pits rather than just albedo features - sounds like you managed that really well

Thank you John

I was really pleased to see them like that because from what I have read they can be quite tricky to see/resolve unless seeing conditions are really good

It really did make my night

Kevin

[Gadget]

Yes the conditions do have to be just right to see A,B,C,D as proper craters. I have had good views of them and hints of some of the even smaller ones with my FLT98 with a barlowed 6mm Ethos when the light and seeing were just right.

Bring on the 3.7mm Ethos

John

Are there other lunar features that can be a challenge to also look for John ?

Kevin

[johninderby]

The Lunar 100 will give you plenty to look for. Some of them however can really be tough to observe. Download these PDF files and have fun with them!

http://www.spanglefish.com/has/Documents/Astronomy%20Projects/Lunar_100_sheets.pdf

http://www.spanglefish.com/has/Documents/Astronomy%20Projects/Lunar_100_map.pdf

John

[John]

Are there other lunar features that can be a challenge to also look for John ?

Kevin

I'm not really a lunar specialist (or any sort of specialist for that matter ) but I like to seek out rilles, both the better known ones such as Hygenus and those less well known

Another of my favourite lunar targets are the crater pairing of Messier and Messier A - fascinating to view under different lighting conditions as the lunar phases change.

A real challenge, and one that I've not managed as yet, is to see the rille running up the bottom of the Alpine Valley. The lighting, seeing conditions and scope performance have to really come together to make that one possible I believe.

[johninderby]

The Alpine Valley rille is the most frustrating. It seems that when the lighting conditions are going to be just right it's also going to be cloudy. It's also got to be the right hour as well when the light hits at just the right angle.

I'm looking forward to bagging it at last when I get the 3.7mm Ethos and use it in the 14" dob.

John

[Talitha]

Well done on the craterlets, Kevin!

The best separation i've been able to get from C/D (8"SCT) is a peanut-shape connecting the two.

[Gadget]

Well done on the craterlets, Kevin!

The best separation i've been able to get from C/D (8"SCT) is a peanut-shape connecting the two.

Thx Carol

I bet you see more than that now when you point that 16" monster at it

The Lunar 100 will give you plenty to look for. Some of them however can really be tough to observe. Download these PDF files and have fun with them!

http://www.spanglefish.com/has/Documents/Astronomy%20Projects/Lunar_100_sheets.pdf

http://www.spanglefish.com/has/Documents/Astronomy%20Projects/Lunar_100_map.pdf

John

Thx John

Great links i have never heard of the lunar 100 before sure will keep me going for a while