The Moon

Observing the Moon

The Moons seems such an obvious object but there is much to be observed, with just your mark 1 eyeball try observing the different phases, the order they occur and the time of day best to observe them. Look for the highlands and seas and see if you can spot the wobble of the moon (libration).

However if you have a telescope try observing the Lunar 100, or imaging the Moon’s features.

BAA Lunar Section | Wikipedia Entry

Recommended Filters

Neutral Density (ND) filters to remove the glare
Fringe Killer to remove any colour cast from refractor telescopes.
Imaging Filters:
IR Pass filter to improve the seeing.

Slideshow

full moon_2018-01-31_20-48-05_L_ISO100_1-640s61Framesstacked

$Image by Simon Dawes 2015-02-24 5\" Achromat Refractor Canon 600D (full spectrum mod) IR Pass filter$

Moon_2019-03-12_21-02-24_ISO100_1-160s_600D_stack_of_100

$Image by Honor Wheeler, taken hand held, at the eyepiece of an 8\" F8 Dobsonian.$

$Image by Martin Crow 2014-04-04 19:58UT DMK41as02 on 80mm Eqinox Refractor Lucksall Herefordshire$

$Image by Martin Crow \'Earth Shine\'$

$Image by Keith Rickard LX10 8\", Olympus OM10, prime focus.$

$Image by Honor Wheeler Montes Carpatus & Montes Apenninus Craters Copernicus & Eratosthenes Canon 1100D, ISO100, exp 1/4s Fullerscope 4\" Refractor, EQ5 mount Wilmington, Kent$

$Image by Honor Wheeler Lunar Crater Clavius 2016-01-19 20:47UT Canon EOS 1100D - ISO 100 1/8s exposure 4\" Fullerscopes Refractor with 2x Barlow Wilmington, Kent$

$Image by Martin Crow Gibbous Moon Canon 550D, 80mm Equinox Refractor Burnham on Crouch June 2015 21:20UT$

$Image by Simon Dawes 2015-03-02 5\" Meade Achromat Canon 600D (Full Spectrum Mod) IR Pass Filter$

$Image by Simon Dawes 2015-02-24 5\" Meade Achromat Canon 600D Full Spectrum Mod IR Pass Filter (c) Simon Dawes$

$Image by Honor Wheeler Crescent Moon 2014-10-20 05:54UT Canon 1100D on a SW 6\" Dobsonian ISO200, Exp 1/125s Wilmington, Kent, England$

$Image by Martin Crow \'Lunar Observer\'$

$Image by Honor Wheeler & John Sowle at the BAA Winchester Weekend Gibbous Moon 2014-04-11 22:19UT Canon 1100D 10\" Dobsonian 1/200s ISO100$

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Occultation of the Beehive by the Moon

On Saturday 13th April I’d hoped to go to the Observatory and image the occultation of the Beehive cluster by the Moon but alas Diane and I had forgotten that we were taking part in a local RSPB quiz. We’ve taken part on a number of other occasions with fellow member Deborah and David, her husband, who are also keen bird watchers, so we had said yes to this quiz before we knew about the events clashing.

The skies were still clear after the quiz so we headed to the observatory, we got to the Pavilion at about 22:30BST (21:30UT) to find that no one else was using it. We imaged the Moon with the Beehive cluster from the patio then imaged some lunar craters and took a tour around the sky with the 16″. The skies remained clear until 02:10BST at which time Diane and I packed up and went home.