L.T.P. REPORT

6 FEBRUARY 1987

02:35 TO 02:55 U.T.

MOUNT PITON

On the evening of February 5, 1987 at 09:35 P.M. CDT or 02:35 U.T. February 6 Observer David O. Darling of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, United States observed an unusual sunrise on Mount Piton. I was using a 12.5 f5 Newtonian reflector with a 9mm eyepiece and 2x Barlow with no filters. I had been observing other features on the Moon when I had panned to the area where the sunrise was taking place on Mount Piton. The mountain peak looked like a shimmering block of ice with a phosphorescence luminescence cloud around the peak. What was really interesting was the shaft of light streaming across the Lunar Maria that appeared like a cone and it came to a point near Mount Piton. The Mountain had the appearance of mother of pearl and the luster or glow that surround the peak only lasted about 20 minutes. The drawing displayed below was taken from my original observing journal. In the drawing the orientation shows north as up with east being to the right side.

The Moon's age is 7.53 days the colongitude at 359.36. Listed below is the next observing windows when the lighting conditions will duplicate this event.

Drawing by David O. Darling

Author of Moon photo unknown.

The location of the Mount Piton in this photograph is halfway up on the right side. The crater Cassini is to its left or east of the mountain. The crater Aristillus is located in the upper right or south of Mount Piton.

SOLAR TERRESTRIAL ACTIVITY REPORT

When examining the data provided by the Solar Terrestrial Activity Report. I found no correlation of the event with the L.T.P. event reported.

David O. Darling

A.L.P.O. & A.L.S. Lunar Transient Phenomena Recorder.

If you wish to contact the recorder about the report on this page you can contact me at: dod121252@aol.com