Can I see any domes on the moon?

[Ags]

Would my 102mm telescope be able to resolve any lava domes on the moon? What would be the best place to look?

[Psychobilly]

Are you in the UK.. if you are checkout the latest Sky at Night episode on Iplayer Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel discussed the very subject during the segment when they were in SPM's obs...

BBC iPlayer - The Sky at Night: 03/01/2011

available for the next few days...

Billy...

[Doc]

I would say the minimum instrutment to observe lunar domes is a 4" refractor or a 6" dob.

The best domes are around the Marius Hills, Rumker, and the craters Milichius and Hortensius.

[Doc]

Take a look here:

http://the-moon.wikispaces.com/Domes

[tuc]

Download Virtual Moon Atlas.

Click on the right-hand panel marked, INFORMATION. Under the heading, OBSERVATION, it will tell you the minimum aperature required for any of the moon features.

It`s free.

[Psychobilly]

Just Realised... I must be Lost...

[Ags]

I would say the minimum instrutment to observe lunar domes is a 4" refractor or a 6" dob.

Sniff sniff - well, I'll try prove you wrong with a 4" mak.

[Doc]

Sniff sniff - well, I'll try prove you wrong with a 4" mak.

I hope you do. Have fun

[Brendan of Borg]

Good call on sky at night prog.

[jgs001]

I believe I've seen some domes with an 80mm refractor, but then not knowing quite what I was looking for at the time, I may have seen something that could have looked like a dome but wasn't...

[Dave Smith]

I've certainly seen Domes with my 80mm birdwatching scope, the Arago Domes. I found these not knowing they were there, wondered if they were domes and found that they were. Here is a pic I have taken since (not with a 80mm scope). The lighting of course has to be absolutely right - i.e. they need to be next to the terminator. The domes are labelled on the map using the greek letters alpha and beta.

Dave

[ollypenrice]

I've certainly seen Domes with my 80mm birdwatching scope, the Arago Domes. I found these not knowing they were there, wondered if they were domes and found that they were. Here is a pic I have taken since (not with a 80mm scope). The lighting of course has to be absolutely right - i.e. they need to be next to the terminator. The domes are labelled on the map using the greek letters alpha and beta.

Dave

Cracking post Dave. Definitive!

Olly

[Doc]

I love those domes Dave, but as you say that wasn't taken with an 80mm scope. Did the view dither much from that though?

[Moonshane]

I think the key to seeing domes is appropriate lighting. they can really stand out or disappear depending on the angle of light. obviously more aperture and good seeing helps. I hope you see some and bet you will. the ones mentioned by Mick are the ones I have seen best - really nice too.

[Dave Smith]

I love those domes Dave, but as you say that wasn't taken with an 80mm scope. Did the view dither much from that though?

It is difficult to remember precisely, but they were sufficiently clear at a magnification of 80 for me to suspect that I was seeing domes. I wasn't looking for them at the time as I'd not seen them before. This was about 10 years ago when my only scope was my birdwatching scope.

Dave

[Talitha]

A 4" f/13 Mak should be able to see plenty... my 90mm f/14 ETX sure does.

Just remember to catch them at a low light angle, the steadier the seeing, the better. Good luck!