Lunar Observing Schedule for: Estonia - Tallinn



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


2024-Mar-11 UT 16:48-18:02 Ill=2% 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-Mar-13 UT 17:33-19:17 Ill=15% 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 morning, that it 
     starts to show 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


2024-Mar-13 UT 17:01-18:37 Ill=16% 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-Mar-14 UT 17:03-20:08 Ill=25% 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-Mar-14 UT 21:28-23:20 Ill=26% Mutus_F

     BAA Request: Can you see, or image, 4 points of light in the 
     shadowed floor of the crater? How do these change in 
     appearance over time? This is not a TLP but is still 
     interesting to observe as it might look like a string of 
     pearls effect. Please send any images, or sketches, to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k 


2024-Mar-15 UT 17:06-21:31 Ill=36% 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-Mar-16 UT 21:42-21:53 Ill=47% Maurolycus

     ALPO Request: On 2012 Feb 28 Raffaello Braga noted that only the 
     tip of the central peak was visible. Most of the crater was in 
     darkness - this was normal at this stage in illumination. When 
     viewed through a red filter, the central peak was visble, but 
     however when viewed through a blue filter it was invisible. 
     Please try to observe this crater visually with red and blue 
     filters, to see if you can replicate this effect? If so then 
     check for similar effects on other craters on the terminator. 
     Otherwise try to obtain some high resolution colour images. This 
     work is suitable for telescopes of 4" aperture or larger - if 
     you have a choice of a efractor or a reflector, please try the 
     refractor. Please send any observations you make to:
     a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2024-Mar-16 UT 17:08-22:42 Ill=47% 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-Mar-17 UT 18:47-20:44 Ill=56% 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-Mar-17 UT 18:59-20:56 Ill=56% 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-Mar-17 UT 20:09-22:07 Ill=57% 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-Mar-17 UT 22:43-23:29 Ill=58% Ptolemaeus

     BAA Request: Examine the floor visually, sketch, or image to 
     show the progression of the shadow spires across floor and 
     the emergence of the centre of the floor into sunlight. 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 P. Shepherdson (BAA) on 2020 Feb 01 UT 
     19:40-19:50 who commented on an unusual appearance to the
     floor. However an image supplied suggests it is just shadow 
     spires. Nevertheless we would like to check at a repeat
     illumination. As another challenge, we have seen bright 
     stripes appear between shadow spires on the floor but these 
     fade in brightness after the shadow spires recede. See if you 
     can capture these on an image sequence and help us learn more 
     about what is causing this effect.Any sketches, visual 
     descriptions, or images taken, should be emailed to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k 


2024-Mar-18 UT 18:49-19:24 Ill=66% 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-Mar-18 UT 22:39-00:59 Ill=67% Eratosthenes

     ALPO Request: This request comes about because of two 
     observations. Firstly on 2009 Nov 25 Paul Abel and others 
     detected some colour on the inner west illumntated slopes of 
     this crater. No similar colour existed elsewhere. On 2012 Aug 
     25 Charles Galdies imaged this crater and detected a similar 
     colour, approximately in the same location, though he also 
     imaged colour elsewhere. It is important to replicate this 
     observation to see if it was natural surface colour, 
     atmospheric spectral dispersion, or some effect in the camera 
     that Charles was using, namely a Philips SPC 900NC camera. 
     The minimum sized telescope to be used would ideally a 8" 
     reflector. Please send any high resolution images, detailed 
     sketches, or visual descriptions to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Mar-20 UT 23:29-23:52 Ill=84% Sinus_Iridum

     BAA Request: Is there a dark shaded area on the floor of size 
     approximately ~1/4 diameter of Sinus Iridum and on western 
     interior by the rim? Telescopes as small as 2" apperture can be 
     used for this study at a magnification of approximately 110x. 
     Any visual descriptions, sketches or images should be emailed 
     to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2024-Mar-21 UT 17:53-00:00 Ill=89% 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-Mar-22 UT 02:07-02:08 Ill=91% Herodotus

     BAA Request: Some astronomers have occasionally reported seeing 
     a pseudo peak on the floor of this crater. However there is no 
     central peak! Please therefore image or sketch the floor, 
     looking for anything near the centre of the crater resembling 
     a light spot, or some highland emerging from the shadow. All 
     reports should be emailed to: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k 


2024-Mar-23 UT 00:49-01:34 Ill=95% Prinz

     ALPO Request: Monitor this crater over time to see if there 
     are any brightness changes inside. A minimum sized scope to 
     use for this would be an 8" reflector. Any visual 
     descriptions, sketches, or colour 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-Mar-24 UT 22:49-00:46 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