Observation Six-Full Moon Observations with a Telescope Oct 19, 2013

I'm using the Full Moon to observe several objects with my telescope.

Rupes Recta(straight wall)

 THE STRAIGHT WALL.--Sometimes called "the railroad," is a remarkable and almost unique formation on the E. side of Birt, extending for about 65 miles from N.W. to S.E. in a nearly straight line, terminating on the south at a very peculiar mountain group, the shape of which has been compared to a stag's horn, but which perhaps more closely resembles a sword-handle,--the wall representing the blade. When examined under suitable conditions, the latter is seen to be slightly curved, the S. half bending to the east, and the remainder the opposite way. The formation is not a ridge, but is clearly due to a sudden change in the level of the surface, and thus has the outward characteristics of a "fault" Along the upper edge of this gigantic cliff (which, though measures differ, cannot be anywhere much less than 500 feet high) I have seen at different times many small craterlets and mounds. Near its N. end is a large crater, and on the E. is a row of hillocks, running at right angles to the cliff. No observer should fail to examine the wall under a setting sun when the nearly perpendicular W. face of the cliff is brilliantly illuminated.

Celestron NexStar 130SLT

I use a Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope (with GoTo) with a 5 inch Newtonian reflector on an altazimuth mount.  NOTE:  I recommend that a MOON filter (dark green lense) be used to view the full moon.  It is very bright through a telescope.

I observed the following objects approximately at 8:30 pm on October 19, 2013:
Sinus Aestuum
Lacus Mortis
Palus Putredinis
Promontorium Laplace
Promontorium Hercalides
Promontorium Agarum
Montes Alpes
Montes Apenninus
Mons Hadley
Mons Piton
Mons Pico
Rupes Altai
Rima Hyginus
Vallis Schroteri
Vallis Alpes
Rupes Recta(straight wall)

Blue Moon August 2013: What time will tonight's full Sturgeon Moon occur?

Published 21 August 2013

NASA

A rare blue moon is expected to light up the skies tonight. It will be a full moon which will be at its fullest at around 9:45p.m ET.

There are two definitions of blue moons.

Tonight's blue moon is an extra summer moon, which is the third moon of four in the season that started on the June solstice. In most seasons, there are three full moons, but once in a while there are four moons. The extra moon is called a blue moon. Tonight's full moon is also called a Full Sturgeon Moon, the Full Red Moon, the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon.

A blue moon is also defined as the second of two full moons within any given calendar month and is a rare occurrence; hence the phrase "once in a blue moon" which indicates the rarity of an event. All calendar months, aside from February, have 30 or 31 days, resulting in the occasional two full moons within a single month. Under this meaning of the 'blue moon', the last blue moon was on Aug, 31, 2012. The next 'blue moon' will not occur until July 2015.

The name of the event comes from the colors the moon takes on from time to time due to different conditions. After volcanic activity or forest fires, the moon can appear to take on a bluish or sometimes lavender coloration. This is because of soot and ash particles deposited high up into the Earth's atmosphere.

A rare 'super' supermoon, a huge perigee moon, occurred on June 22 this year, The moon appeared to be bigger than the average full moon as it will be lined up with the sun perfectly so that the moon will appear to be brighter and bigger.

A "perigee" full moon means that it's orbit is closes to the center of Earth in a month. Full moons do no necessarily happen during a perigee but when it does, it means the sun, earth and moon align. Another super moon like this will not be seen until August 2014.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/blue.moon.august.2013.tonight.time.sturgeon.moon.occur/33655.htm

Check out the Blood Moon

Observation Five-Craters at 7 Days Old with Binos Aug 13, 2013

Craters Aristoteles (48 miles diameter, 10,000 ft deep) and Eudoxus (35 miles diameter, 11,000 ft deep) in the north form the most prominent features along the 6½-day-old Moon’s terminator. 

These craters are better seen during a 7 day old moon and were observed with binoculars:

Piccolomini

Theophilus 

Cyrillus
Catharina
Posidonius
Fracastorius
Aristoteles
Eudoxus
Cassini
Hipparchus
Albategnius
Aristillus
Autolycus
Maurolycus

I'm sure learning a lot by training my eye what to look for.  I am seeing things for the very first time.  

Observation Four - Craters at 4 days old with Binoculars August 10

The most favorable time for viewing this crater named Petavius is through a telescope when the Moon is only four days old. This is upside down in the telescope.  

Earlier, on the third day the crater is nearly devoid of a shadow.

http://www.astrosurf.com/cidadao/moon_obs.htm

This why we observe the moon on different days.  
The shadows we see are at different lengths.  

Moon at 4 days old.
Craters with binoculars:

Vendelinus 
Petavius
Cleomedes
Atlas
Hercules
Endymion
Macrobius

Observation three with Binoculars-Lunar Rays

This is my binocular setup.

The Lunar certificate lists objects to view through binoculars (also called binos).  I own a pair of Pentax 8 x 42 DCF HRII.  They cost approximately $300.  They are sold for bird watchers (like me) but these binos operate great in low light conditions.  For long observations, I use a camera tripod with bino adapter attachment for the tripod.  I had to use a dremel tool to make the adapter fit my small binos.

This certificate was tested with 7 X 35 binos.  I checked out all the binos and talked to everyone in my astronomy club before I made a choice.  Likewise, there are many articles on the web about choosing binos for astronomy viewing.  So here we go!!!

The spokes or lines coming from the crater are rays. The rays correspond to the ejecta that were produced during the impacts that originated the craters.

During a full moon on July 22 at 10 pm, I observed the bright rays coming from the following craters with binoculars:

Sinus Iridum - Bay of Rainbows
Sinus Medii - Central Bay
Sinus Roris - Bay of Dew
Palus Somnii - Marsh of Sleep
Palus Epidemiarum - Marsh of Epidemics
Mare Vaporum - Sea of Vapors

The next observation will be August 10th approximately 9 pm.  The moon will be 4 days old or it is referred to as a waxing crescent. This will allow a different view of the light hitting another set of craters. 

44th Anniversary After Landing on the Moon

44 Years After the Apollo 11 Moon Landing

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin salutes the American flag in a picture taken by mission commander Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969.

Observation Two - Maria with the Naked Eye

The lunar maria /ˈmɑriə/ (singular: mare /ˈmɑreɪ/)^[1] are large, dark,basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcaniceruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. 

There were clear skies tonight and the moon was illuminated 68 % which is called a waxing gibbous.  "Waxing" is the term used when the Moon's illuminated part is growing in size and "Gibbous" means more than half, but not full.  

The following list shows the maria I could see tonight:

Mare Crisium

Mare Focunditatis

Mare Serenitatis

Mare Tranquillitatis

Mare Nectaris

Mare Imbrium

Mare Frigoris

Mare Nubium

Mare Humorum - 7/20

Oceanus Procellarum - 7/20

There are more objects but these are required by the certificate program.  This list is as it appears on the program list which is by location instead of alphabetically.

Observation One with the Naked Eye

I like to figure out where the Man in the Moon pans out when I look up at the moon.  But finding the Woman, the Rabbit, and the Cow in the moon was great fun and took a big imagination!!!  Look up at the moon and try to draw what you see!

Sketches of Naked Eye Objects

 The Man in the Moon.

 The Woman in the Moon.

 The Rabbit in the Moon.

 The Cow Jumping over the Moon.

You have finished four observations about the moon with me!

Lunar Program Certificate

This is a boy looking at the moon through my telescope at an outreach event with the River Bend Astronomy Club, Highland, Illinois.

In this blog, I journal my progress of obtaining the Lunar Program Certificate which includes 100 objects to view.  This is a hobby and intended for family audiences.  My observations will not be technical but they will reflect a fascinating view of the moon in layman's terms!  So sit back and enjoy the facts about our moon!

I completed the requirements for the Astronomical League's Lunar Program Certificate in July 2014.  And this blog follows my lunar observations.

My love of astronomy started when I was a little kid staring out of the window at the moon instead of sleeping!  Since then, I am all about things to do with Astronomy.

I am an amateur astronomer with the River Bend Astronomy Club located at Highland, Illinois.  We do a lot of outreach with kids using our telescopes and learning kits.  I have a Messier Program Certificate with the Astronomical League.

Using the Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope (with GoTo) has been a challenge but it is light weight and works well.  It is a 5 inch Newtonian reflector on an altazimuth mount.