The Moon

A fantastic collection of images showing the Full Moon also known as the Buck Moon rising on the 3rd July 2023 by member Jim Burchell in the constellation of Sagittarius.  All images were taken with a Pentax KP.  It was also the 1st Supermoon of 2023. 

The full Moon in July is called a Buck Moon after the new antlers that begin to grow from the forehead of a buck (male) deer at this time of year. They shed their antlers in the early spring or late winter, growing full again in July. 

This Buck Moon is the first of four Supermoons that will rise this summer 2023 culminating with September’s Full Corn Moon on September 28th.

The Moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical shape rather than in a circle, so its distance to us (Earth) varies over time; so there are times in the Moon’s orbit when it is closer to the Earth and other times when it is further away. A Supermoon is a phenomenon that occurs when a full Moon takes place at the same time as the perigee; when the Moon is closest to the Earth.

A Supermoon is actually classified when a full Moon is closer than 360,000km to the Earth.  This distance is around 21,000km closer than the Moon’s average distance from us of around 384,400km.

Note that 2024 will have four full Supermoons in a row too.  They will occur on August 19, September 18, October 17 and November 15.

A lovely photo of a young Moon in the constellation Taurus taken by CMHASD trustee John Howarth on the 20th May 2023.

A collection of beautiful images of our Sun setting and a full Moon rising on the 5th May 2023 taken by members Jim Burchell & Honor Wheeler.

Sun with Sunspot setting by Honor

Sunset by Jim

”The Full Moon of May is known as Flower Moon to signify the flowers that bloom during this month. Native Americans called it Budding Moon, Egg Laying Moon, and Planting Moon.

The Anglo-Saxon name for May’s brightest Moon phase is Milk Moon from the Old English Rimilcemona. It means three-milkings-month in modern English because cows were milked three times a day during this time of year. The Celtic and Old English names are Mothers’ Moon, Bright Moon, Hare Moon, and Grass Moon.” ref:https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/flower.html

Flower Moon on 5th May by Honor

FLower Moon rising by Jim

A lovely image of a waxing gibbous Moon taken on the 29th April 2023 by member Neil Webster.

To see a higher resolution photo of Neil’s image – check out his flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/137388222@N05/52861969736/.

A selection of super images of the Full Moon taken on the 7th March 2023. 

”In March, the Full Moon is the Worm Moon. It is also called Lenten Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Chaste Moon, Sugar Moon, and Sap Moon.  The Worm Moon gets its name from the earthworms that come out when the soil warms up. The worms provide food for birds and other animals.  It happens around the changing of the seasons, from astronomical winter to spring in the Northern Hemisphere.” ref https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/worm.html

This stunning very atmospheric image of the Full Worm Moon was taken by member Jim Burchell.

The next 3 beautiful images showing the Full Worm Moon rising were taken by member Honor Wheeler.  Honor said ”Full Moonrise was not easy to capture tonight. The Moon barely escaped the cloud but got a few pics nonetheless.” and yes she did 🙂

On the 5th February 2023, member Jim Burchell captured this absolutely beautiful image of the full moon also known as the Snow Moon.  Jim took the photo using a Pentax KP,  300 mm,  F7.1 1/25 sec and iso 400.

A Full Moon on the 5th Feb 2023 captured by Neil Webster. The February Full Moon is also named the Snow Moon after the snow on the ground in the Northern Hemisphere. Some Native American tribes also named the Moon the Hunger Moon due to the scarce food sources and hard hunting conditions during mid-winter and others called it the Storm Moon. The February Full Moon was in the constellation Leo.

7 Frames stitched in Microsoft ICE. Each: 90s x 32fps (best 20% selected in AutoStakkert).

Processed in Photoshop.

Three wonderful images of our Moon acquired by CMHASD member Honor Wheeler back in December 2022.  The 1st image was taken on the 29th Dec 2022 and the next two on the 26th Dec 2022, all from North Kent.

Honor acquired her super image below of what looks like a ‘Half Moon’ at 20221229_2103UT by using a Canon M6 Mark II, 102mm Refractor, EQ3 synscan mount, x2 Barlow and ISO400, exp1/320s.

The next image below of a beautiful crescent Moon was acquired by Honor at 20221226_1654UT  using a Canon M6 Mark II, 102mm Refractor, EQ3 synscan mount, x2 Barlow and ISO200, exp1/30s

Honor’s 3rd image below showing a stunning amount of Earthshine was acquired at 20221226_1737UT  using a Canon M6 Mark II, 102mm Refractor, EQ3 synscan mount,  x2 Barlow and ISO400, exp4s.  For more information about Earthshine click here.

Being up early on dark mornings has its rewards as member Jim Burchell shows here with these super images of a crescent Moon on the morning of the 18th January 2023.  The amount of ‘Earthshine’ captured in the 1st photo by Jim is stunning. Also in the photo – bottom left, is the star Alniyat in Scorpius. 

”Earthshine is a dull glow which lights up the unlit part of the Moon because the Sun’s light reflects off the Earth’s surface and back onto the Moon.  It is also sometimes called ashen glow, the old Moon in the new Moon’s arms, or the Da Vinci glow, after Leonardo da Vinci, who explained the phenomenon for the first time in recorded history…… Earthshine is best seen a few days before and after a New Moon, right after sunset or before sunrise. Scientists studying global warming found that earthshine is more intense in April and May” ref:  https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/earthshine.html

Crescent Moon & Earthshine with Alniyat in Scopius by Jim Burchell

The 2nd image below shows more detail of the crescent Moon.

Another stunning image of the Moon taken by member Neil Webster on the 2nd January 2023.  The image is of a waxing Gibbous Moon at 85.0% and 10.39 days old. The image is a mosaic made up of 6 frames stitched in Microsoft ICE.

Below is one of the frames taken by Neil which he said was his favourite!

You can see a higher resolution image on Neil’s flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/137388222@N05/52602589747/

Member Richard Bohner captured these superb detailed images of the crescent Moon on the 27th Dec 2022 from Arizona, USA.  Amazing how much detail has been acquired using an  iPhone camera held up to an eyepiece 🙂

Member Jim Burchell’s ‘Winter Solstice crescent Moon‘ captured on the morning of the 21st Dec 2022 – The Winter Solstice.  According to the astronomical definition, winter begins with the winter solstice in December in the Northern Hemisphere and in 2022 that was on the 21st Dec 2022.

Members Jim Burchell, John Howarth and Honor Wheeler took the opportunity to photograph the glorious full moon, also known as The Hunter’s Moon on the 9th October 2022 from various locations in North Kent and below are their superb results.

”Hunter’s moon is mentioned in several sources as the Anglo-Saxon name for the Full Moon of October. This is the month when the game is fattened, and it is time to start preparing for the coming winter. Traditionally, this included hunting, slaughtering and preserving meats for use in the coming winter months.  Other names are Travel Moon and Dying Grass Moon. Some also called it Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon, which also refers to the hunting season. However, this name should not be confused with the term Blood Moon to describe a Total Lunar Eclipse.” https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/hunters.html

Moonrise by Honor Wheeler.  3 Moonrise images layered using android app Snapseed.  Images acquired using a camera – Canon M6 mark II with 18-400mm lens. ISO500, exp1/10sec at F8.

The Moon by Jim Burchell. Image acquired using a Pentax KP camera.

The Hunter’s Moon & Jupiter by Jim Burchell.

The Hunter’s Moon by John Howarth.

Two absolutely fantastic images of the Moon at 0.01 phase taken by member Jim Burchell on the morning of the 25th August 2022 from Dartford. The second image shows the Moon with Venus on the right.

The Crescent Moon (0.01 phase) and Venus – Taken using a Pentax KP at F6.3, 1/4s, 120 mm and iso 200.

A superb image of the moon at 3.30am on the 20th Aug 2022. This is Neil’s first waning crescent moon image of the moon at 40.9% & 33 days old.