Observing log for BAA/ALPO and other Astronomical Groups for February 2005

Routine report: 2005-February 12 UT 02:00  Earthshine  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, AstroView 120ST EQ Refractor,  D=120mm F=600mm f/5, Sony Digital Camera DSC-P71, eyepiece projection 25mm, temperature 15 degree F, clear with wind out of the north) Examine the earthshine region for about 5 minutes and detected no flashes. Did see several bright spots on the earthshine area. They were Aristarchus, Copernicus, and Kepler. Also some limb brightening detected. The first image was taken at 2005 February 12 at 02:00 UT. As part of my earthshine study I have downloaded a photograph of the Pacific Ocean. This image was taken near the time of the observation. Also I have down loaded a picture generated by the Earth/Moon viewer that shows the sub lunar point located on the Pacific Ocean. The final photograph was taken at 2005 February 12 at 02:02 UT that shows the sunlight portion of the Moon.

Routine report 2005-Feb 13 UT 3:02-3:41     Proclus, Macrobius, and Picard     Robin Gray     (Winnevcca, NV, USA. 152mm refractor, F 9 at 114X & 228X, seeing 3, transparency 4-5). 
Proclus, Macrobius and Picard were blinked with Wratten Filters Red 29 and Blue 38A at the beginning
and end of the observing period. Through the blue filter all three craters faded considerably; through
the Red 29 the illuminated walls of Proclus and Macrobius seemed a little more prominent than in white
light. Picard looked less prominent in Red than in white light.    The western inner crater walls of Proclus showed
considerable variations in brightness. The northwest corner was the brightest at 8.5. Brightness decreased
to 7.0 moving south. Some barely visible dark markings could be made out in the westernmost part of the wall,
but seeing was too poor to get a good view of this detail. The southwest inner wall was barely visible at
the start of the observing period but had brightened noticeably by the end of the session. The rest of the
interior of the crater was in black shadow. Nothing unusual seen - no L.T.P.

We're back in storms again now.

2005-Feb-13 23:47-02:46 30% E.ofPicard_Neate 1909-Mar-26 [635]

Routine report: 2005-February 14-15 UT 23:20-00:20     Posidonius & Baily     Don Spain     (Louisville, KY, USA, 152mm achromatic refractor at 60X to 127X, temperature 48 degree F, humidity 73%, little or no wind, no clouds, seeing 2-3, transparency Very Good). Nothing unusual noted this session, did take many CCD images pending posting. Baily and Burg  photograph at 23:47 UT and Posidonius at 23:56 UT. The images taken using the 152mm achromatic refractor with 2X barlow.

Routine report: 2005-February 16 UT 04:00-04:45     Proclus     Jay Albert     (Lake Worth, Florida, USA, Celestron NexStar 11" SCT at 224X to 311X, seeing 3-4, transparency Very Good). The west wall was brilliant and its bright crater rays prominent. There still a bit of deep shadow on the east wall.

Routine report 2005-Feb 17 UT 1:49-3:15     Proclus, Censorinus, and Dionysius     Robin Gray     (Winnevcca, NV, USA. 152mm refractor, F 9 at 114X & 224X, seeing 4-5, transparency 4). Light clouds initially, some clearing towards end of observing period).

Blinked Proclus, Censorinus, and Dionysius with Wratten Filters Red 29 and Blue 38A at the beginning
and end of the observing session. The bright areas of all three craters appeared slightly enhanced in the
Red 29. In the Blue 38A the bright areas of Proclus and Censorinus greatly increased in contrast. This was
true to a much lesser extent in Dionysius. Also did extinctions of the brightest parts of these
craters at the beginning and end of the observing period. Although the inner NW wall of Proclus appeared
brighter than Censorinus, this was not supported by the extinctions carried out at the beginning of the
observing period. At the end of the period, when the clouds initially present had cleared away somewhat,
both Censorinus and Proclus brightened up the the same intensity. The northern end of Proclus was the brightest part of the crater. Of this the Northwest side was the brightest, and two darker intrusions were visible in
this illuminated region of Proclus. The Southeast crater wall was mostly in shadow. The
shadowed area was divided into two unequal areas by a bright intrusion that stretched out onto the crater
floor. As it seemed to cast a shadow it must have been an elevated feature. To the north of the shadowed
crater wall was a fairly bright, nearly closed ring that almost looked craterlike itself. Despite many
observations of Proclus I don't remember seeing these two features before.
Other unusual features seen was a bright line bordering the shadowed wall in the east and a
alternate dark line and bright line bordering the illuminated inner Southwest wall. The crater floor
looked featureless. Some curious features, probably due to unusual lighting of varying elevations rather than L.T.P's.

Extinctions

"0" represents maximum polarization.

Hope these observations prove to be of some interest.

2005-Feb-17 01:58-04:13 60% Alphonsus_Moseley 1967-Feb-17 [4625]

Routine report: 2005-February-18 UT 01:42  Agrippa & Godin  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 18 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Agrippa & Godin taken at 01:42 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

Routine report: 2005-February-18 UT 01:55  Menelaus  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 18 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Menelaus taken at 01:55 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

Routine report: 2005-February-18 UT 01:22  Reinhold  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 18 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Reinhold taken at 01:22 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

Routine report: 2005-February-18 UT 02:06  Guericke  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 18 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Guericke taken at 02:26 UT. Noting unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P.

Routine report: 2005-February-18 UT 02:14  Alphonsus  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 18 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Alphonsus taken at 02:14 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

Routine report: 2005-February-18 UT 02:18  Tycho  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 18 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Tycho taken at 02:18 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

Routine report: 2005-February-18 UT 02:18  Fra Mauro & Parry  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 18 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Fra Mauro & Parry taken at 02:18 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

2005-Feb-18 02:29-04:38 70% Alphonsus_Brook 2004-Feb-29 [9530]

Routine report: 2005-February 18-19 UT 23:30-00:50     Plato, Copernicus, Bullialdus, & Kies     Don Spain     (Louisville, KY, USA, 152mm achromatic refractor at 60X to 127X, temperature 39 degree F, humidity 46%, little or no wind, no clouds, seeing 4-5, transparency Very Good).  Observed all along the terminator and photographed the entire terminator section. Most of the observations were of Plato, Copernicus, Bullialdus, and Kies and the big dome southwest of Kies. CCD image of Bullialdus taken at 00:15 UT.

Routine report: 2005-February-19 UT 01:27  Campanus & Mercator  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 15 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Campanus & Mercator taken at 01:27 UT. Could detect a light notch on eastern rim of crater Campanus. Can see cone of light spreading across the floor. Appears to be a small central peak near the center of the light cone. No L.T.P. detected, light cone only natural appearance of crater with this kind of physical feature.

Routine report: 2005-February-19 UT 01:32  Tycho  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 15 degree F, clear with wind out of the north). Image the crater Menelaus taken at 01:32 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

Routine report: 2005-February-19 UT 01:37  Copernicus  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Meade LX200, D=203mm F=2000mm f/10, Lunar Planetary Imager, 2X short barlow, temperature 15 degree F, clear with wind out of the northwest, very cold. Clear all day Seeing excellent). Image the crater Copernicus taken at 01:37 UT. Nothing unusual detected, conducted Red & Blue blink using Meade Auto-Star Suite software and negative blink and no L.T.P. 

Routine report: 2005-February 20 UT 23:01-23:40     Aristarchus & Herodotus     Jay Albert     (Lake Worth, Florida, USA, Celestron NexStar 4" Maksutov Cassegrain  seeing 5, transparency). Checked Aristarchus and Herodotus while sun was still up and the Moon was ~45 degrees up in the east. Herodotus was about one and a half crater diameters from terminator. Saw nothing unusual in either crater. The floor of Aristarchus was completely shadow with the west wall brightly lit and terracing obvious. The floor of Herodotus was mostly shadow filled with the shadow of a prominent rim peak reaching across the crater floor to the sunlit west wall. The shadow was black and sharply defined without a hint of the grayness & fuzziness reported in 1954 by Walter Haas. Observed during twilight until terminated by dense clouds.

2005-Feb-21 01:31-03:29 91% Proclus_Bartlett 1976-Sep-06 [8460]

2005-Feb-21 01:36-03:31 91% Gassendi_Haas 1939-Aug-27 [995]

Routine report: 2005-February-23 UT 03:29  Full Disk Shot  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Short Tube 80mm Refractor, D=80mm F=400mm f/5, Lunar Planetary Imager, prime focus, temperature 125 degree F, clear with wind out of the north, very cold. Clear all day Seeing excellent). Took photograph of nearly Full Moon using small refractor mounted piggy back on Meade LX200 8" Cassegrain. Image was taken at 03:29 UT. Nothing unusual noted when image was examined and Red & Blue blink was conducted.

Routine Report 2005-February 24 UT 00:30-01:00  Aristarchus & Proclus  Michael Amato (West Haven, Connecticut, USA, Cassegrain 127mm FL 1540mm, eyepiece 12mm, Seeing 6, Transparency 3rd Magnitude, clear and calm, temperature 30 F). Nothing unusual seen. No L.T.P. reported.

Routine report: 2005-February-24 UT 03:34  Full Moon  David Darling  (Sun Prairie, WI, USA, Short Tube 80mm Refractor, D=80mm F=400mm f/5, Lunar Planetary Imager, prime focus, temperature 125 degree F, clear with wind out of the north, very cold. Clear all day Seeing excellent). Took photograph of nearly Full Moon using small refractor mounted piggy back on Meade LX200 8" Cassegrain. Image was taken at 03:34 UT. Nothing unusual noted when image was examined and Red & Blue blink was conducted.

Routine report 2005-February 24 UT 7:35-8:24     Manilius     Robin Gray     (Winnevcca, NV, USA. 152mm refractor, F 9 at 114X & 228X, seeing 6, transparency 6). 

Routine Report 2005-February 24 UT 19:30-20:00  Aristarchus & Proclus  Michael Amato (West Haven, Connecticut, USA, Cassegrain 127mm FL 1540mm, eyepiece 12mm, Seeing 6, Transparency 3rd Magnitude, clear and calm, temperature 30 F). Nothing unusual seen. No L.T.P. reported.

Routine report 2005-February 25 UT 4:15-4:55     Proclus D     Robin Gray     (Winnevcca, NV, USA. 152mm refractor, F 9 at 114X & 228X, seeing 2-3, transparency 6). 

Last night I was out observing Proclus D. Here is what I saw: Blinked Proclus D with Wratten Filters Red 29 and Blue 38A. In the red Proclus D looked very similar to what it did in White light; through the Blue 38A it vanished. The crater appeared to change in brightness in white light.      Initially little detail could be seen in this small crater. On the inside margin of the western side of the crater was a dark but not absolutely black shadow, the rest of the crater appeared to be a featureless, moderately bright crescent. Then more detail became visible: a bright area on the SE inner wall, a somewhat less bright area on the NE inner wall, a yet less bright crater interior shading into
the shadow in the west. Then this detail disappeared and the original view returned. This variability was
almost certainly due to variable seeing, and probably accounts for the apparent changes in brightness noted.
Towards the end of the observing session the atmosphere steadied enough to use 228x and the bright
area in the SE could be seen to be coming from a band
near the crater rim. No L.T.P.

Routine report 2005-February 25 UT 7:43-8:13     Proclus D     Robin Gray     (Winnevcca, NV, USA. 152mm refractor, F 9 at 343X, seeing 7, transparency 5, this haze). 

Seeing was much better during this observation period than the previous one, allowing the use of higher
power. Blinked Proclus D with Wratten filters Red 29 and Blue 38A. With the Red 29 there was no enhancement
over white light; with the Blue filter the crater became a fairly bright glowing patch. This differed
from the earlier observation this evening where the crater essentially disappeared through this filter.
     More detail of the interior of the crater could be seen during this observation. The inner walls
showed more complexity of albedo than before, with a dark area bisecting the east wall and projecting into
the interior. The crater floor was variably shaded as well, being darker in the south than in the north.
     The changing response of Proclus D to the Blue 38A filter over the two observation periods seems
strange and may be an L.T.P. the changes in brightness in white light appear to me to be due to changes in
seeing.

2005-Feb-25 06:58-08:38 98% Copernicus_Robinson 1975-Jul-24 [8180]

Routine Report 2005-February 25 UT 21:00-21:25  Aristarchus & Proclus  Michael Amato (West Haven, Connecticut, USA, Cassegrain 127mm FL 1540mm, eyepiece 12mm, Seeing 5, Transparency 3rd Magnitude, clear and calm, temperature 27 F). Examine crater Aristarchus and Plato no L.T.P. detected.

Routine report 2005-February 26 UT 7:45-9:14     Proclus     Robin Gray     (Winnevcca, NV, USA. 152mm refractor, F 9 at 343X, seeing 7, transparency 5, this haze). 

We had another clear night last night and I spent some time observing the Moon. Here is what I saw: Seeing was quite good tonight and a considerable amount of detail could be seen in Proclus. The "Central Peak" of Proclus, actually more like a broad, almost dome like low incline hill located in the SW of the crater, was clearly visible. To its south and west was a narrow, semicircular elevated ridge like feature that flanked the central peak and intruded into the
black shadow covering the western third of Proclus. The central peak had two areas, a larger, brighter
area to the south and a smaller, slightly less bright, northern area. During most of the observing session
these were almost as bright as the illuminated east and north inner crater walls, but towards the end the
central peak began to fade considerably. The ridge intruding into the western shadow did not fade during
the observing period. The inner eastern walls, not so intensely illuminated as they were when the sun was
higher in the sky, showed some variable shading. Blinked Proclus with Wratten Red 29 and Blue 38A
filters. Through the red filter the eastern walls brightened slightly over white light. Through the Blue
38A the northern part of the illuminated inner wall became noticeably the brightest part of the crater,
while in white light it held second place to the central area of the wall. When the sun is higher, the
northern area is the brightest part of Proclus.     No L.T.P.

2005-Feb-26 07:04-08:22 95% Gassendi_Haas 1940-Jul-22 [1050]

Routine report 2005-February 27 UT 8:54-9:53     Mount Pico, Aristarchus     Robin Gray     (Winnevcca, NV, USA. 152mm refractor, F 9 at 343X, seeing 5-6, Transparency 6, this haze).