Observing the MoonSpringer Science & Business Media, 2013 M04 17 - 182 pages Why write another guide to observing the Moon? That was the question I was pondering as I began this project, having a fine collection of "classic" lunar guidebooks dating back to 1791 in my own library. As a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), member of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences (AAS DPS), and member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), I am fortunate to know many pro fessionallunar scientists who keep me up to date with developments in lunar scienc- contrary to public perception, lunar science has definitely not stagnated since the last Apollo, No. 17, left the surface of the Moon in December, 1972. I am also lucky to know many amateur lunar observers, who, like me, enjoy actually looking at the Moon with tele scopes and imaging it with a wide variety of devices ranging from regular 35 mm cameras to video recorders and CCD cameras. My friends who study the Moon, whether in their professions or just for fun, gave me several reasons for doing "another" lunar guidebook. First, the last lunar observer's guide of any length was published over ten years ago, and many reviewers noted that it was badly out of date even then. |
Contents
The Basic Kinds of Lunar Formations 13 | |
The Lunar Rilles 22 | |
Lunar Geology What Have We Learned? 27 | |
Lunar Features Northeast Quadrant 39 | |
Lunar Features Southeast Quadrant 55 | |
Lunar Features Northwest Quadrant 71 | |
Lunar Features Southwest Quadrant 87 | |
Introduction to Observing the Moon 105 | |
Drawing Lunar Features 115 | |
Some Important Data 120 | |
Lunar Topographic Studies 125 | |
Lunar Eclipses and Occultations 137 | |
Glossary of Lunar Terminology 166 | |
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Common terms and phrases
albedo amateur astronomers amateur lunar observer Apollo appear Aristarchus atlas atop basalts bowl crater bright camera CCD image central mountain central peak chapter Clavius Copernicus crater chain crater ring craterlets dark deep detail diameter drawing Earth east wall ejecta eyepiece Figure floor formation full moon geologic highlands hills imaging the Moon impact basin impact event inside large craters lava flows lava-flooded libration limb look LTPs lunar craters lunar domes lunar eclipse lunar features lunar surface main crater Mare Crisium Mare Fecunditatis Mare Humorum Mare Imbrium Mare Nectaris Mare Nubium Mare Orientale Mare Serenitatis miles Moon's Moon’s north wall northeast northwest observing the Moon occultation orbit photographs planet planetary ramparts ray system refractor region rille rocks selenographic south wall southeast southern southwest wall star Sun angles telescope terracing terrain Tycho valley visible volcanic walled plain west wall wide crater Wilkins and Moore wrinkle ridges