Astronmomy Update September

[Skywatcher]

Not much of any significance this month, so we will do some basic stuff if you like

Moon

New moon (no moon visible) was on the First and Full moon will be on the 15th - If you are planning on looking at the moon during a clear spell in the weather the best time is not at full moon as it is so bright all you will be able to pick out are the dark bits (seas) - the best part of the moon to look at is the terminator ( no not Arnie) - this refers to the part of the moon where The sun is either rising or falling and it sends the craters into stark contrast. The lovely thing about the moon is that each night you get a new show as a differnt part of the moon is put on display - If you are watching through a telescope over a few hours you can actually see the shadows of the mountains change as the sun comes up/down.



The Seas of the Moon

Each of the lava flooded plains of the moon is given a name - here is a quick resume for you



Traditionally people in the west see a Face in the moon ( man in the moon) whilst Eastern cultures see a Rabbit ( bottom right)



The phases of the moon

Some people get confused by this - clearly the moon is always there and you are just seeing a different amount of the moon illuminated directly by the sun. Waxing - bright bit getting bigger /waning bright bit getting smaller

For example if you were to look up a few days after a new moon you might see


where the right side of the moon is lit by the setting sun to the right of the picture.

However let your eyes get dark adapted and you will see the rest of the moon Illuminated by light reflecting from the Earth

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[Tink]

A rabbit! I didn't know that! Thanks for the lesson!

[Skywatcher]

Lunar Features

There are many lunar features - Seas , impact craters,rilles, ridges, mountains and volcanic faults



This is a geological fault line called the 'Straight wall'

This is my fav crater called Plato -again showing the sun creeping over the mountains



Once you get to know your way around the moon you can start wl the aid on an online map to know your way around and start to pick out features



And is you get really really in to it you can spend days of your life stitchng together photos of the terminator to make a picture that is about 10ft long ( this has been shrunk)



So get out there with a pair of binoculars or a camera and have a go it is a beautiful sight and there is always something different going on

Any questions please fire away

[Keith]

I love this stuff thanks Skywatcher

[Watchinherskip]

Great job Chris, awesome.

[Tink]

Absolutely incredible stuff. We need a smilie that depicts awe...

[Dorothy]

Chris did you take all of those pictures? They are amazing

[Tink]

Tell me again why the moon is not a planet. I had the explanation in high school science, but you'll trust me when I say that was just a little while ago and the explanation has since sieved out of my memory files.

[Skywatcher]

There are a whole lot of criteria for being a planet and they keep changing them - poor little Pluto.

Please let me know if any of this stuff bores you - I will keep going until told otherwise or the threads die on their backside

[Dawn]

What happened to Pluto??!!!