TYCHO

L.T.P. EVENT

21 AUGUST 1992

7:58 TO 10:59 UT

Nebulous Streamers Inside Tycho

This is the kind of observation that the full extent of the story was not known until all the data was analyzed. I was doing a follow up observation on two previous observations crater Tycho. These two previous observation took place on 10 December 1990 and 2 September 1991. I decided to video tape the sunset on the central peak of Tycho. The instrument used for the video taping was club constructed 16" f19 Cassegrain telescope.  Along with the video taping I was taking slide pictures of the crater during the observing session using the Celestron SCT 11"f10.

16" f19 Cassegrain telescope located at the Brooklyn Observatory Complex. The author David O. Darling standing beside the telescope.

The camera used to video tape was the Thor Camera System which has a small television monitor for viewing.

Author holding Thor B&W Video Camera System

Author shown with Celestron SCT 11" that the Minolta SRT 101 was set up for eyepiece projection.

The following is my summary of the observing night. My two daughters Michelle and Lael assisted me with the project and each one sat by a telescope this was to make sure the telescope remain on Tycho. 

7:58 UT: This morning I am beginning the monitoring of the crater Tycho using two telescope. The 16" f16 has been set up to video tape the crater using a Thor B&W camera. The Celestron SCT C11" is set up to have slide taken of the crater during the observing session. I am able to resolve the main central peak as a very massive bright region, the secondary peak is also visible as a bright spot. My daughter Michelle is presently running the operations with the 16" and the video camera. She has been instructed on how to maintain the crater in the center of the field of view and how to input time and date group onto the video image. At this time the progress on the central peak is looking spectacular with a magnificent point extending beyond the shadow being cast by the crater rim.

8:15 UT: I have activated the Celestron SCT C11 f10 to begin the photographic session using my Minolta SRT 101 with Kodak ASA 64 slide film. I will be photographing using eyepiece projection using a 9mm eyepiece. At this time I took five photographs of the crater Tycho

8:16 UT: The secondary central peak has nearly disappeared. 

Photograph © 2004 by David O. Darling, Director L.T.P. Research

Photograph taken using the Celestron C11 F10 at 8:17 UT: using Minolta SRT 101 with eyepiece projection with 10mm eyepiece. .Exposure length 4 seconds. In this photograph you can see the central peak appears normal.  When examining the video during this same time period the central peak appear normal.

8:19 UT: Unsteady seeing makes the central peak fluctuate in brightness.  I have return to the 16" Cassegrain to check on the progress of the sunset on the television monitor.

8:20 UT: The secondary central peak continues to remain visible.

8:23 UT: I have returned to the Celestron SCT C11" to take some more photographs.

8:26 UT: Have returned to the 16" and can see that the sunset on the central peak is progressing well. The central peak continues to remain quite bright. The extension of the central peak shadow extends beyond the rim shadow in a very dramatic effect. The central peak shadow has the appearance of a spear head. 

8:32 UT: I have returned to the Celestron SCT C11" to continue taking photographs of Tycho.

8:34 UT: The shadow being cast by the central peak is quite massive, indicating that a large area of the central peak is remaining in the sunlight. It's clear that the mountain face catching the sunlight is quite broad. (See Fig. 1)

Figure 1

Drawing © 2004 by David O. Darling, Director L.T.P. Research

The image is so different between the view finder of the camera and what I see on the video monitor. It is very educational showing the difference between apertures and there effects on observing.

8:37 UT: The secondary peak is still visible.

8:42 UT: Returned to the Celestron SCT C11" to continue photography of Tycho.

Photograph  © 2004 by David O. Darling, Director L.T.P. Research

Photograph taken using the Celestron C11 F10 at 8:42 UT: using Minolta SRT 101 with eyepiece projection with 10mm eyepiece. .Exposure length 4 seconds. In this photograph you can see the central peak and the nebulous region extending to the northeast. When examining the video tape during that time period I observed a flare up of the central peak that extended toward the northeast.

8:44 UT: Continuing to record on video tape through the 16" cassegrain. The image is really impressive with the crater nearly filling the TV screen. The spear head shape of the shadow of the central peak is getting shorter.

8:51 UT: Michelle and Lael have switched positions and Lael in now running the 16" cassegrain with the video camera. Michelle is going to help me take slide pictures with the Celestron  SCT C11".

Photograph  © 2004 by David O. Darling, Director L.T.P. Research

Photograph taken using the Celestron C11 F10 at 8:55 UT: using Minolta SRT 101 with eyepiece projection with 10mm eyepiece. .Exposure length 4 seconds. In this photograph you can see the central peak again returns to normal appearance. The appearance of the central peak on the video tape confirms its appearance.

8:56 UT: It was at this time upon reviewing the video tape that I could detect a cone or v shaped glow in the shadow region of Tycho. (See Fig. 3) Shortly after that the wish bone shape began to take shape on the video and could be seen at this time. 

8:58 UT: Have returned to the 16" to check on Lael progress with the video camera. Progress is going well on the video taping. The central peak is bright on the TV monitor. The spike of the central peak is becoming shorter as sunset continues to progress.

9:00 UT: Lost sight of the secondary central peak on the TV screen upon reviewing the video tape.

9:02 UT: Michelle and Lael switch places again to allow Lael to move around to keep warm.  At this time I going to view through the Celestron SCT C11".

9:06 UT: The cone shaped region in the shadow area is still  visible. I not sure at this time if this is an effect due to the contrast with the bright central peak and the dark surroundings.

9:12 UT: The cone shaped brighter area continues to persist. the cone is not apparent or bright on the north side. (See Fig. 2)

Figure 2

Drawing © 2004 by David O. Darling, Director L.T.P. Research

Figure 3

Photograph  © 2004 by David O. Darling, Director L.T.P. Research

9:17 UT: Conducting a visual of Tycho using the Celestron SCT C11".  The central peak is really striking with in the shadow. I can make out both peaks even though I lost sight of  the secondary peak on the television screen earlier. The secondary peak is a very small star like point.

9:21 UT: Continuing my visual observation of Tycho. I find the eastern slope of the crater to graded sloping from the inner terrace to the crater floor.

9:27 UT: Have begun recording with the second video tape. The shadow being cast by Tycho central peak is getting shorter as the sunset continues to progress.

9:32 UT: Went to the Celestron SCT C11" to take some more photographs.

9:38 UT: Lael has relieved Michelle on the 16" cassegrain telescope to allow her to warm up.

9:40 UT: When viewing the video tape I can continue to see the faint wedge shaped area to the east of the central peak.

9:47 UT: The central peak now is becoming diffused patch, I still have not seen any star-like appearance with in the nebulous patch. 

9:53 UT: When viewing the video tape the appearance of the wedge shape in the shadow has nearly gone.

9:55 UT: Have gone back to the Celestron SCT C11" to take some more photographs of Tycho.

9:57 UT: Returned to the 16" cassegrain, and found the central peak has appearance of a broad area being still illuminated by the setting sun has return. The spearhead shaped shadow is very pronounced.

10:02 UT: When reviewing the video tape I found a nebulous patch became visible on the northeast side of the central peak. The central peak still remaining visible and casting a distinct shadow.

10:09 UT: Using the Celestron SCT C11" to continue to take photographs. The central peak still very prominent with shadow still being very pronounced. 

10:14 UT: The central peak shadow is almost eclipsed by the shadow from the crater rim. The central peak has become a small diffused patch of bright white light with in the crater shadow.

10:19 UT: The central peak still a diffused patch with no stellar point visible with in the nebulous patch.

10:25 UT: Went to the Celestron SCT C11" to take some more photographs of Tycho.

10:31 UT: While still with the Celestron I can see that dawn is getting brighter every passing moment. At this time I am able to read a newspaper by its light.

10:36 UT: Diffused patch continues to remain visible with a smaller nebulous patch appearing to the northeast of the central peak as the seeing varies.

10:38 UT: Still have about 35 minutes until sunrise.

10:56 UT: Using the Celestron SCT C11" I have conducted a visual scan on the progress of sunset on Tycho central peak. The central peak at this time appears quite bright and I can still see the mountain summit extending just beyond the crater rim shadow.

11:02 UT: Sky is getting brighter and I am loosing image contrast. I can still see the second nebulous patch next to the central peak.

11:17 UT: Sun is coming up over the eastern horizon, ending the observing session on the crater Tycho.

SOLAR TERRESTRIAL ACTIVITY REPORT

When examining the solar data for that time period of 21 Aug 1992 I found that the Planetary A index and the Solar flux were both very active.

CONCLUSION: This is a third observation done on Tycho in attempt to document what been taking place inside terrace walls when the sun set upon it. I attempted to document this observation in greater detail than the two previous events. These were 10 December 1990 and 2 September 1991. I attempted to document this phenomena by using two different telescopes and two different recording media. I have had individuals examine the slides taken and some thought the phenomena I recorded was only seeing related. I also had individuals examine the video and they believe I had recorded a real event. It also possible that what was recorded on the video was also seeing related as well. The only way to get to the bottom of this problem is to continue to conduct follow up observations of this feature under similar lighting conditions to see if the phenomena reported in these three observations continues.

This observation can be tested by viewing the Moon during the similar lighting conditions using the Lunar Observer's Tool Kit developed by Harry Jamieson.