Lunar Observing Schedule for: New_Zealand - Levin



Produced by the Department of Physics at Aberystwyth University, UK
Ill is percentage illumination of the Moon


2024-Apr-01 UT 15:39-18:09 Ill=54% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-02 UT 13:17-18:10 Ill=43% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-03 UT 14:26-18:11 Ill=32% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-04 UT 15:38-18:12 Ill=22% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-05 UT 16:53-16:57 Ill=13% Geminus

     BAA Request: On 2011 Jan 21 Nigel Longshaw suspected the 
     eastern side of Geminus (on the border of the crater filled 
     shadow and the eastern illuminated rim) had a colouration to 
     it. This extended for a short distance from the floor shadow 
     into the illuminated rim width and spanned  from the north to 
     the south of the crater. For a comparison, Cleomedes was 
     checked but nothing unusual was noticed in its shadow. The 
     observer notes that Elger also saw colour here too. Its 
     probable that some natural surface colouration was observed, 
     but this needs to be checked out? Telescopes of aperture 4" 
     or larger are needed to observe this effect. If you have a 
     refractor, then try using this, otherwise a reflector will do 
     just as well. Please send any sketches, images, or visual 
     descriptions to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Apr-05 UT 16:53-18:13 Ill=13% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-06 UT 16:19-18:19 Ill=6% Moon

     BAA Request: Please try to image the Moon as a very thin 
     crescent, tryimg to detect Earthshine. A good telephoto lens 
     will do on a DSLR, or a camera on a small scope. We are 
     attempting to monitor the brightness of the edge of the 
     earthshine limb in order to follow up a project suggested by 
     Dr Martin Hoffmann at the 2017 EPSC Conference in Riga, 
     Latvia. This is quite a challenging project due to the sky 
     brightness and the low altitude of the Moon. Please be very 
     careful around sunrise so as not to be observing once the Sun 
     has risen. Do not bother observing if the sky conditions are 
     hazy. Any images should be emailed to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2024-Apr-06 UT 18:10-18:14 Ill=6% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-10 UT 06:19-06:28 Ill=3% Moon

     BAA Request: Please try to image the Moon as a very thin 
     crescent, tryimg to detect Earthshine. A good telephoto lens 
     will do on a DSLR, or a camera on a small scope. We are 
     attempting to monitor the brightness of the edge of the 
     earthshine limb in order to follow up a project suggested by 
     Dr Martin Hoffmann at the 2017 EPSC Conference in Riga, 
     Latvia. This is quite a challenging project due to the sky 
     brightness and the low altitude of the Moon. Please do not 
     attempt if the Sun is still above the horizon. Do not bother 
     observing if the sky conditions are hazy. Any images 
     should be emailed to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2024-Apr-15 UT 06:17-07:13 Ill=45% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-16 UT 07:15-07:44 Ill=55% Stofler

     BAA Request: Images or sketches of this crater needed. We are 
     trying to see if a curious gray band is visible across the 
     crater floor as seen by T. Smith on 2020 Nov 22. Any sized 
     scope can be used from 5" or upwards. All images should be 
     sent to: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2024-Apr-16 UT 07:33-09:30 Ill=55% Eudoxus

     BAA Request: Eudoxus - please try to image the interior of 
     this crater. We are trying to detect bright spots and a linear 
     features within the shadow of the east wall at sunrise. Nigel 
     Longshaw (BAA) suspects that this might explain Trouvelot's 
     obsevation in 1877 of a luminous rope-like feature.
     Please send any images to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Apr-16 UT 07:45-09:42 Ill=55% Eudoxus

     BAA Request: Eudoxus - please try to image or skecth the 
     crater. This is to try to explain a line of light effect seen 
     inside this crater by French astronomer Trouvelot back in 
     Victorian times. The BAAs Nigel Longshaw says that this may be 
     seen between colongitudes of 0.3 to 1.2 degrees. Please send 
     any images or sketches to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Apr-16 UT 06:15-07:54 Ill=55% Earthshine: sporadic meteors

     These can only be observed using low-light level cameras running at 25 frames per sec,
     or faster, and capable of recording 9th or 10th magnitude stars in real time.
     Dates/UTs of observing runs, or detections of impacts, should be emailed to:
     ALPO - email: c u d n i k @ s b c g l o b a l . n e t
     BAA - email: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k
     UAI - email: a m . 5 4 8 5 2 @ g m a i l . c o m


2024-Apr-16 UT 08:55-09:42 Ill=55% Ptolemaeus

     BAA Request: Examine the floor visually, sketch, or image to 
     show the progression of the shadow spires across floor. If 
     observing visually, how would you describe the appearance of 
     the central lit area on the floor? If imaging, do a time lapse 
     e.g. 1 image per minute to show the progression of the shadow 
     spires. We are asking for these observations following an 
     observation by N. Travnok (Brazil) on 2020 Jul 27 UT 23:00 who 
     commented on an unusual appearance to the floor. It would be 
     really useful to have visual observing of the appearance and 
     please note down what the seeing conditions are like. If you 
     want to image it at high resolution, please go ahead but 
     remember that any image stacking should not be from sections 
     of video of longer than 1 min duration as the shadows change 
     in length rather quickly at sunrise. Any sketches, visual  
     descriptions, or images taken, should be emailed to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k 


2024-Apr-17 UT 07:33-08:08 Ill=64% Tycho

     BAA Request: How early can you see the central peak of this 
     crater illuminated by scattered light off the crater's west 
     illuminated rim? High resolution and/or long exposures needed 
     to capture detail inside the floor shadow. All images should 
     be sent to me on the email adrress below, whether or not you 
     were successful in capturing the central peak: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k 


2024-Apr-19 UT 05:44-05:54 Ill=81% Apollo_15

     BAA Request: Take high resolution images of Rimma Hadley
     to capture a view of what the lunar surface would have looked 
     like from Earth at the moment Apollo 15 lifted off from the 
     Moon. Minimum diameter scope 20cm, larger apertures preferred: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2024-Apr-20 UT 06:31-00:00 Ill=88% Aristarchus

     ALPO Request: On 2013 Apr 22 Paul Zellor noticed that the two 
     closely spaced NW dark bands in Aristarchus had some (non-blue) 
     color to them. Can we confirm his observation of natural colour 
     here? Ideally you should be using a telescope of 10" aperture, or 
     larger. Please send any high resolution color images, detailed 
     sketches, or visual descriptions to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Apr-20 UT 07:03-08:02 Ill=88% Gassendi

     BAA Request: Please either observe visually with red and blue 
     filters, or image with a colour webcam, the floor of this 
     crater. On two occasiobns colour was detecred here which might 
     be natural or more likley a combination of poor seeing 
     conditions and atmospheric spectral dispersion (or chromatic 
     aberation) on a bumpy area of the floor of this crater. 
     Minimum aperture used should be 6" or 15cm. Any visual 
     descriptions, sketches, or images should be emailed to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2024-Apr-20 UT 10:36-12:45 Ill=89% Bullialdus

     ALPO Request: Can you detect any colour, inside the crater, on 
     the floor and elsewhere? Can you image any colour? Minimum 
     telescope aperture needed: 6", and if possible try using a 
     refractor. All images or sketches should be sent 
     to me on this email adrress: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k 


2024-Apr-20 UT 11:59-12:22 Ill=89% Aristarchus

     BAA Request: Aristarchus area - We are trying to explain an 
     observation from Meudon Observatory in France made in 1881 of 
     a bright rope-like effect seen in the vicinity of this crater.
     Please send any images to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Apr-22 UT 15:14-16:12 Ill=98% Plato

     BAA Request: Two observers have reported colour on the rim 
     around this colongitude, once in 1938, and again in 2013. Please 
     take a look and report what you see, and where on the rim. 
     Please send any high resolution images, detailed sketches, or 
     visual descriptions to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Apr-23 UT 06:54-08:34 Ill=100% Copernicus

     ALPO Request: Can you see a darkening on the northen floor of 
     this crater? All visual reports, sketches or color images should 
     be emailed to: 
     t o n y . c o o k @ a l p o - a s t r o n o m y . o r g


2024-Apr-23 UT 11:21-13:18 Ill=100% Full_Moon

     ALPO Request: Please take images of the Full Moon, but make 
     sure you under expose as we want to avoid bright ray craters 
     like Aristarchus, Tycho, Proclus etc from saturating. The 
     purpose behind this is we want to compare with images of 
     Earthshine which are essentially zero phase illumination 
     images, like at Full Moon. There have been reports in the past 
     that Aristarchus varies greatly in brightness compared to 
     other features. David Darling (a past TLP coordinator) has 
     suggested this was simply due to libration effects, i.e. 
     viewing angles, so we would naturally like to test this 
     theory out. Also if you have any past images of close to Full 
     Moon, please send these in too if the above mentioned craters 
     are not saturated. Pretty much any size telescope can be used 
     to take these images so long as we can clearly see the above 
     craters. Obviously do not attempt this if the sky is cloudy or 
     hazy. Observations will be presented in the "Lunar Observer" 
     - a monthly publication of the Lunar Section of ALPO. All 
     reports should be emailed to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c . uk


2024-Apr-24 UT 15:44-15:55 Ill=100% Hahn

     BAA Request: On 2012 Jan 09 UT 21:01-21:08 Hahn crater was 
     imaged by Nick Hazel (Beverley, Yorkshire, UK, Nikon D7000 with 
     70-300 zoom at max, with 2x teleconverter, at f9, 1/320 sec, ISO 
     400 – tripod mounted, mirror up), A series of images were taken. 
     The 21:06 one showed a grey column cutting across the central 
     floor of the crater from the west and then bisecting the eastern 
     rim. All detail inside is completely invisble. Some (but not 
     all) of the other images showed a more blurred view of this 
     feature. It is possible that this was a seeing ripple effect, or 
     just the natural appearance of shadings on the Moon at this 
     time, however we would like to capture images of this area to be 
     sure. Small aperture telescopes or telephoto lens similar to 
     Nick's can be used. Try switching the tracking off to see what 
     effect motion blur has during the exposure - to see4 if this 
     replicates the effect. Please send any images you take to:
     a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2024-Apr-26 UT 08:33-08:55 Ill=94% Tycho

     BAA Request: Compare the brightness of Tycho with Cassini and 
     a bright spot in Delandres. Use red and violet filters. 
     Telescopes of apertures as small as 2.5" can be used for this 
     study (if possible a refractor) with a magnifiaction of 
     around x50. Colour imagery can also be used providing that 
     the exposure is short enough to avoid saturation on bright 
     features. Any visual descriptions, sketches or images should 
     be emailed to:
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k 


2024-Apr-26 UT 09:32-10:53 Ill=94% Torricelli_B

     BAA Request: Sketches or images needed of Toricelli B - of 
     sufficient resolution to reveal shadow. All observations, 
     including sketches or images shouild be emailed to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Apr-26 UT 17:25-13:06 Ill=93% Cyrillus

     BAA Request: Cyrillus. There is a small white craterlet just 
     north of the three central peaks. We are interested to receive 
     high resolution images of this in order to find out at what 
     selenographic colongitude, in the lunar evening, that it loses 
     it's white spot appearence. Please use scopes largher than 6 
     inches in diameter. 
     Please email these to: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k