The Moon – Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society Dartford

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

MOON-Mare-Imbrium-Mare-Serenitatis-Plato

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Lunar Images by Leigh Slomer

Lunar Halo/Corona Competition

Lunar Halo Competition

As the name suggests, take an image of a Lunar Halo.

Rules:

Whilst the points awarding is somewhat ambiguous I’ll be looking for the following…

Technically a good image (in focus)
Well composed
Other points of interest (foreground or background)
A good story – if you have a story of how you took the image it can’t hurt!

Entry criteria:

You can only enter if you are a paid up member (any tier of membership)
Entries must be to webmaster@crayfordmanorastro.com – feel free to post them on what’s app as well!

Entries:

Images By Diane Clarke

Image By Diane Clarke. The two stars to the left of the Moon are Castor & Pollux in the constellation of Gemini Image details, Taken on 30.12.20 @ 21.48 Camera EOS 750D, Lens Sigma 18 -250 @18mm 1/2 Sec @ f3.5, Image as taken Static Tripod

Image by Diane Clarke This image shows the Moon and a 22° lunar halo, along with the stars of Gemini Aruga, Taurus & Orion Image details, Canon EOS 750D, Sigma 18 – 250mm lens @ 18mm 8 sec @ f5.6, ISO 800, 25.01.21 @ 20.48 hrs Static Tripod Image as shot

Images by Leigh Slomer

Image by Leigh Slomer Taken with a stock Canon EOS 200d and a Samyang 135mm lens. Exposure time was 1/5 of a second at ISO 400 at an f ratio of 2.8. Processed in GIMP.

Images by Jim Burchell

Image by Jim Burchel image taken on the Evening of 25/01/21. Image taken with a pentax K70. ISO 800/ F8 and 30 second exposure. Image showing some part of Orion Taurus and the Pleiades..

Lunar Images by John Howarth

Richard Bohner’s Lunar Images

Image by Richard Bohner. Photo info: taken on 13 April 2021 @ 7:52PM local time, Arizona. Canon 5D MK IV, ISO 800, 3sec. Exp. telephoto f5.6 400mm.

Lunar Images By Janice McClean

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.

Images of the Moon by Simon Dawes

Lunar Images By Neil Webster

Lunar Images by Martin Crow

Lunar Images by Brian Thompson

Lunar Images by Jim Burchell

Image of the Crescent Moon and Mercury taken on the 13/05/21 Pentax K70 135mm f8.0 iso 800 1/5 sec.

Lunar Images by Keith Rickard

Lunar Images by Julian Tworek

Lunar Images by Gordon Collins

Diane Clarke’s Lunar Images

I looked out my window just as a break in the clouds revealed The 2% lit waxing crescent Moon, so luckily I was able to capture this image, shortly after the clouds closed and the Moon was again obscured. Canon EOS 750D ISO 1600,f6.7@1/90th Sec Sigma 18/250 Lens @ 250mm Taken at 21.00hrs 13.04.21 Jpeg from a RAW file Diane Clarke Belvedere

I took this picture while preparing to image NLC’s as the night was clear and quite mild, Venus became visible as the sky darkened & before it got lost in the late evening twilight, I did not see any NLC although they had been reported elsewhere in the UK. The picture was taken at 22.00 although somehow the camera’s clock was 4 minuets fast Canon EOS 750D Static tripod Canon Macro Lens EF 100mm f 5.6 @ 1/60, ISO 400 12.06.21 22.00hrs