Above~ 2X Powermate on a Nikon 5100. 1/50 sec., ISO 200, prime focus on a f4.8 731mm ES Comet Hunter. [click to enlarge]
Tuesday, May 10, 2022~ 7:50 – 9:35 pm.
• Location~ Moosehorn Creek, NB
Sky Conditions~ Clear with some high, thin clouds to the NW
Temp~ 15°
Moonrise~ 2:09 pm
Sunset~ 8:41 pm
Total Darkness~ 10:49pm
Moonset~ 3:44 am
Age of Moon~ 10d 2h 22m
10 Day Moon~
Temp. inside Ob was 22°, which was a 7° difference between the outside ambient air. Will have to start cracking the roof ahead of time soon.
Spent time studying my current three sources–John Read’s 50 Things, Legault & Brunier’s Moon Atlas, and the Sky & Telescope fold out map. Looking forward to Copernicus.
Went for my first look at 8:30, sunset 11 minutes away. The 13mm Ethos let everything fit in nicely.
Of particular interest at first glance was this star-shaped formation/pattern that I watched change over the next 15 minutes. I finally identified it as Montes Riphaeus, about halfway between Copernicus and Bullialdus, with Reinhold and Lansberg pointing almost straight to it from Copernicus. It changed with the light. The star shape was formed by sunlight cutting across just the top of the mountains as the terminator swept across.
Had to try and get a record so I stopped and took images at 9:02. Exact Lunar cycle time was 10d 3h 34m.
Above and below~ 4X Powermate on a Nikon 5100. 1/40 sec., ISO 400, prime focus on a f4.8 731mm ES Comet Hunter.
Eye candy~
By 9:20 had popped the 13mm back in and it was almost too much to write about–from Tycho to Copernicus to Plato. But my eye was caught by Clavius with its Mickey Mouse suggestion of craters south of Tycho. Then down to the sheer majesty of Mare Inbrium anchored by Plato with Archimedes so prominently displayed and Montes Reati off to the side of Plato with Montes Carpatus sitting almost opposite. Going past Copernicus to Reinhold and Lansberg which are jumping out and calling for attention, then back to Bullialdus plus Bullialdus A and B, then back up to Tycho and Clavius again. You could spend a year here, just on that image. Would make a great wallpaper.
I wish my photography matched the impact of what I was seeing. That may come down the road, perhaps. Right now I don’t want to get hung up on imaging and miss the eyepiece time.
At 9:35 I decide I have to pack it in. Moon is bright, will have to start using a filter soon.
Summary~
Moon at 10d 2h 22m at 56 magnification (13mm)
Montes Riphaeus
Tycho, Copernicus and Plato
Clavius
Mare Inbrium and Archimedes
Montes Reati and Montes Carpatus
Reinhold and Lansberg
Bullialdus plus Bullialdus A and B
All with 56 magnification
Scope– ES Comet Hunter – 152mm f/4.8 731mm Maksutov-Newtonian
Mount– Celestron AVX
Eyepiece used– 13mm Ethos
Music~
Continued with Glenn Gould’s Goldberg Variations from last night.
Started the Glenn Gould Byrd and Gibbons CD which I hadn’t listened to in years. Nice.
Glenn Gould–Consort of Musicke by William Byrd and Orlando Gibbons.
Sources~
New Atlas of the Moon by Thierry Legault & Serge Brunier [2006]. Beautiful Firefly reference book with overlays, unfortunately out of print.
Sky and Telescope’s Field Map of the Moon~Mirror image laminated fold out map. I use this all the time, handy.
The PhotoPills App~ Exact time and age of the Lunar Cycle, sunset, twilight phase info for our gps location, etc. Great app.
50 Things to See on the Moon~ by John A. Read.
