Moon 1/27/99

by David North

Instead of my usually prettified reports, I thought it would be fun to just transpose my notes as they appear so anyone familiar with my gushy style could see what the nuts and bolts look like before I vet them and polish.

The system is simple: the number in front is the page in Rukl, the first notes are the observations taken from about 5:30 pm to 7 pm, and the amendments after the slash are from session two running from about 10:30 to 11:30 pm.

The list of objects was drawn up ahead of time using Rukl and Akkana Peck's "Hitchiker's Guide To The Moon" web page to extract the terminator position over the course of the evening (44 to 47+ West).

Lunar Observations
Rukl Feature 5:30 pm to 7 pm 10:30 to 11:30 pm
2 J. Herschel Larged walled plain, extremely rough interior. Terminator halfway through. fully lit now, still rough but more detail.
9 Gruithuisen Delta Negative on central crater. slight depression seen fairly well.
Rima Deslisle small whitish slash in position indicated harder to see now
19 Rima Diophantus short bright stretch maybe nothing. No clean kill.
Rima Brayley Portion fairly visible just above the crater, both light and dark lines slight fleeting traces.
30 Rima Milichius Thin brightening in central position positive on proximal end. Good kill.
Milichius Pi good kill on central crater same
Dome in upper portion of quadrant 32-34W x 12-10N has double central crater. Looks funny like cartoon face same
29 Rimae Maestlin Main E/W branch fairly easy but N/S hard due to obscuring shadow much better, almost easy. All seen, very attractive complex rille.
40 Surveyor 1 negative result same
41 Rima Herigonius only one short segment seen fairly evident, almost entire complex seen in segments, with occasional glimpse of whole thing
52 Gassendi Very messy, rimae obscured by shadows good sight of all rimae.
Rimae Hippalus Easy same
Rimae Doppelmayer End easily seen not much improvement, shadow obscuration
62 Vitello too much shadow not bad, no real sight of cracks but central peak looks like the middle of a juicer.
Palus Epidemarium Rimae Ramsden all branches visible with minimal effort. Rima Hesiodus much harder tonight Hesiodus even harder, Ramsden easier. Intricate.

*Lunar Observations*
Rukl	Feature	5:30 pm to 7 pm	10:30 to 11:30 pm
2	J. Herschel	Larged walled plain, extremely rough interior. Terminator halfway through.	fully lit now, still rough but more detail.
9	Gruithuisen Delta	Negative on central crater.	slight depression seen fairly well.
Rima Deslisle	small whitish slash in position indicated	harder to see now
19	Rima Diophantus	short bright stretch maybe	nothing. No clean kill.
Rima Brayley	Portion fairly visible just above the crater, both light and dark lines	slight fleeting traces.
30	Rima Milichius	Thin brightening in central position	positive on proximal end. Good kill.
Milichius Pi	good kill on central crater	same
Dome in upper portion of quadrant 32-34W x 12-10N	has double central crater. Looks funny like cartoon face	same
29	Rimae Maestlin	Main E/W branch fairly easy but N/S hard due to obscuring shadow	much better, almost easy. All seen, very attractive complex rille.
40	Surveyor 1	negative result	same
41	Rima Herigonius	only one short segment seen	fairly evident, almost entire complex seen in segments, with occasional glimpse of whole thing
52	Gassendi	Very messy, rimae obscured by shadows	good sight of all rimae.
Rimae Hippalus	Easy	same
Rimae Doppelmayer	End easily seen	not much improvement, shadow obscuration
62	Vitello	too much shadow	not bad, no real sight of cracks but central peak looks like the middle of a juicer.
Palus Epidemarium	Rimae Ramsden all branches visible with minimal effort. Rima Hesiodus much harder tonight	Hesiodus even harder, Ramsden easier. Intricate.

I'll leave it to you to figure out how I would have prettied this up, and which items would not have been mentioned due to poor results.

All observations with five inch refractor at 150 and 200x, depending on variable seeing and transparency. Occasional forays to 260x for very short (but nice) periods.