More on the Moon

Continuing image processing from the 7^th, the following image is from further “up” the terminator.

Rima Sirsalis

This is an annotated image from near the crater Sirsalis. However, the large dark-ish area on the right side is Mare Humorum (Sea of Moisture), with the crater Cassendi in about the 11 o'clock position on the rim of the Mare. But the star of the image is what is both circled and pointed to, Rimae Sirsalis. Rimae Sirsalis is, both apparently and in several references, the longest rille on the moon, about 460 km or about 265 miles. So, what's up with rima and rilles? “Rima” is the Latin term for rille. A rille is a fissure or long, narrow channel on the moon. Another interesting point I found while looking this up (while in “social isolation” for the COVID-19 virus pandemic); sources give different lengths for the rille (Virtual Moon gives it at 182 miles, WiKipedia is the source for 426 km). It would seem there is a problem that really shouldn't be a problem. My own estimation is around 217 miles, but I'm looking at it from an angle and at relatively low resolution. I suppose my guess is no better than the other 2, and perhaps no worse!

A Curious Sight on the Moon

The evening of March 7^th, the last evening with no clouds, I imaged portions of the moon. As usual for me, I “ran the terminator”, meaning imaging along the day/night line. Plus a little extra this time. Needing something to do while the skies are so cloudy , I'm still processing the images. The first one processed, however, has something I don't remember seeing, so I'm trying to find out more about it. It's one of those things that's certainly nothing, but I'm just curious. I'm also asking members of the Atlanta Astronomy Club to look at the images to see if anyone recognizes it. First, the processed image.

  

Original processed image, but substantially downsized.

And now, the curious feature marked.

Feature is slanted lines inside circle. Ray from Tycho is vertical line.

The “feature”, for lack of a better word, seems to be a series of light lines at an angle to one of the rays of ejecta from the crater Tycho. In tracking this down, I've been to the lunar quickmap

https://quickmap.lroc.asu.edu

to see if any of the layers might shed some light on the feature, but nothing seems to have helped. I feel fairly confident that it is not a surface feature like a crater rim or wrinkle ridge, so I'm thinking it might be ejecta from another crater, maybe??? Who knows? Maybe somebody. IF, and that's a big if, it is ejecta, which crater did it come from?

As Finished As I Can Get … Take 2

Well, somewhat against my better judgment, which isn't saying much, I found a way to get all but one of what turned out to be the remaining seven Herschel objects. Among other things, I found out that one abject that I thought I didn't have, I actually did as a Messier object; M110 in fact. So, my missing 8 turned to 7 with that finding. The method I used to get the remaining 6 (of 7) objects was to shove the focuser further up on the focal reducer. Basically, the problem is that the camera just doesn't quite fit between the back of the optical tube and the top of the base. It would be similar to having a swing set and the swing hitting the ground when you try to swing. I gained enough room to get closer to the north celestial pole, and doing so meant that the camera was within about 1/32 of an inch of hitting the base. But, it didn't. Now I have only NGC6217 left to image to complete the Herschel 400 list. Unfortunately, although it's circumpolar, it's below the tree line. My next goal is to find out when I might have a chance of success. For now, that's a job for another day. I'll leave you with one of the 6 I got last night, NGC40, which is a nebula with strong Ha emission, apparently, since it shows up so strongly in the red.

NGC 40, The Bow Tie Nebula (if it were green, I would call it the Green Lantern Nebula)

As Finished As I Can Get

Of the Herschel 400 list, that is. On the night of the 21^st, I imaged about 12 open clusters, a planetary nebula or 2 and a galaxy. That officially completed all of the objects I can photograph. That would end up being a total of 391 objects. Why can't I get the remaining 9? The scope won't point that far north with the camera attached. Well, mostly it won't. If I try to maintain the correct spacing of the camera to the focal reducer, there is not enough room between the fork arms to let the camera swing between the fork arms. However, IF I cheat a little and push the camera a little closer to the reducer, I might be able to get a few more. NGC2655 and NGC6217 are the worst offenders at a declinations over 78 degrees. I have limited the scope to 72 degrees declination to prevent damage, so it will be a tight fit. I will need to be at the scope, with all lights on, watching the swing to be sure the camera doesn't hit anything. OR, I could buy a new scope!!! Yeah, I like that idea! New mount actually. I currently eyeing a Losmandy G11G or G811G. I guess we'll just have to see what the futue holds.

I usually put an image in with my posts, and, since galaxies are usually more photogenic, I'll include NGC2613. Not really the greatest galaxy, but certainly good enough. I hope you enjoy.

NGC2613

Lunar image(s) from December 6, 2019

It seems that I have imaged, and identified, most of the “major” lunar features, so I thought it might be interesting to look for some of the less looked at features. However, he said chuckling, when you go for the minor stuff, it appears you also get most of the major stuff. The field of view is just too great, I suppose.

Anyway, I took 4 images where the primary target was something minor. One such image is below.

Anaxagoras and Pico area of moon just about first quarter

I've identified two less viewed features here: the crater Anaxagoras, which is about 31 miles in diameter, and the “circular formation” that, as far as I can tell, is identified as Pico, perhaps Pico C. My favorite lunar program, Virtual Moon Atlas, doesn't make identification easy, so I'm making something of a guess here with Pico.

I also thought it would be a good excuse to find out what I could about the “minor” features. And what I found is......there ain't much out there! Virtual Moon Atlas had about as much info as could be found. Maybe I should qualify statement; I could find some very specific geological information that I'm not equipped to understand, so was not as helpful in making a good, generally informational description. There is one geophysicist in the family that could interpret, but that will probably need to wait for a later time. The “circular formation known as Pico” is interesting because it just looks like a crater filled in with lava. However, the mountain near the 7 o'clock position is Mount Pico. Why would there be what appears to be several mountains on the rim? Inquiring minds would like to know.... and so would I. This image also shows what appears to be “folds” (perhaps wrinkle ridges?) in the mare. They seem to show up more clearly in this set of images than perhaps any I have taken. Unfortunately, the conversion and downsizing of the image has removed much of the clarity.

The other images have similar interesting formations, as well as some major ones, just like this image. And, information is just about as hard to come by.

Once In A Life Time Event for Me

 Why Once in a Life Time? Next one occurs in 2049. I won't be around for it!

Small black dot just below and right of center is Mercury

As it so happens, there were also two small prominences on the sun that day as well. One was near the 9 O'clock position (the larger one), and one around the 2:30 position. I took quick pictures of them as well.

Larger Prominence on "left" of sum (about 9 o'clock position)

Snall Prominence of "right" of sun

Quick Entry M15

October 17^th I finally got the scope back out and tried some imaging again. Biggest hurdle this time was the new astronomy computer; basically getting it set up and working. I think I have most of the programs loaded and most of the bugs worked out, so it was time to put it to the test. As far as the computer goes, I think it worked fine. As far as the scope goes, well, it needs some work, namely it needs the PEC retrained after replacing the scope back up battery. At any rate, the target was M15, a nice globular cluster.

M15