Lunar Observing Schedule for: New_Zealand - Palmerston_North



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


2026-Oct-02 UT 17:43-17:53 Ill=60% Aristarchus

     BAA Request: please study visually or image this crater, 
     concentrating especially on the east rim and beyond. Is there 
     a bright spot on the east rim, and how does it compare in 
     brightness to the central peak of Aristarchus. oes the 
     apparance change over time? Also is there anything just beyond 
     the eastern rim which might resemble a crater rim? Any visual 
     descriptions, sketches or images of Earthshine should be 
     emailed to: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2026-Oct-03 UT 17:11-17:22 Ill=48% 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


2026-Oct-13 UT 07:03-07:26 Ill=7% 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


2026-Oct-14 UT 07:05-08:26 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


2026-Oct-15 UT 07:06-09:22 Ill=20% 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


2026-Oct-16 UT 07:07-10:15 Ill=29% 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


2026-Oct-17 UT 07:33-08:31 Ill=37% Proclus

     ALPO Request: Minimum aperture scope to be used 6" (a refractor 
     if possible) and at a magbification of approximately 300x. How 
     does the crater compare in red and blue light i.e. Wratter 25 
     and 38A filters? Also the three shadow patches in the crater, 
     which one is the darkest? Can you see running along the SW edge 
     of the crater floor, a hill - to the north of which is a less 
     elevated plateau? As the observing period progresses, do you see 
     the brilliantly illuminated north crater wall develope a darker 
     area which gradually becomes more prominent, despite the Sun 
     getting higher in altitude above the lumnar surface? Sketch or 
     images sequences welcome here and 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


2026-Oct-17 UT 07:08-11:02 Ill=38% Earthshine: Epsilon Geminids: ZHR=3 (vel=70km/s)

     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


2026-Oct-18 UT 06:36-07:34 Ill=46% Ukert

     Ukert: a "V" on the Moon - this is a Clair-Obscur effect. 
     Clair-Obscur have no scientific importance and are just tricks of the 
     light that make us think we see something like a letter of the alphabet 
     or a shape or face. Clair-Obscur effects are scientifically pointless 
     to observe. However, if you want to be thrilled, or obtain an image to 
     impress someone then give them a go. If you do observe, or image this, 
     by all means send your observation into ALPO or the BAA, but we 
     probably won't publish, but will nevertheless retain in our archives, 
     just in case features elsewhere in the image are of interest to 
     future researchers.


2026-Oct-18 UT 06:36-07:34 Ill=46% Werner

     Werner: an "X" on the Moon - this is a Clair-Obscur effect. 
     Clair-Obscur have no scientific importance and are just tricks of the 
     light that make us think we see something like a letter of the alphabet 
     or a shape or face. Clair-Obscur effects are scientifically pointless 
     to observe. However, if you want to be thrilled, or obtain an image to 
     impress someone then give them a go. If you do observe, or image this, 
     by all means send your observation into ALPO or the BAA, but we 
     probably won't publish, but will nevertheless retain in our archives, 
     just in case features elsewhere in the image are of interest to 
     future researchers.


2026-Oct-18 UT 07:09-11:43 Ill=48% Earthshine: Epsilon Geminids: ZHR=3 (vel=70km/s)

     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


2026-Oct-19 UT 07:05-07:36 Ill=56% Plato

     BAA Request: It has been noticed that a bright carterlet can 
     appear very suddenly on the floor of Plato in between needle 
     like shadows, during local lunar sunrise. This happens in the 
     space of just a minute or so, and can look really quite dramatic.
     This effect was first spotted by Brian Halls on 2014 Oct 31 
     Please send any high resolution images, detailed scetches, or 
     visual descriptions to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2026-Oct-19 UT 10:11-12:45 Ill=57% Plato

     Plato's Hook: a hook like effect in one of the shadow spires in Plato, 
     near a rim - this is a Clair-Obscur effect. It was first seen by 
     H.P.Wilkins in 1952. Clair-Obscur have no scientific importance and 
     are just tricks of the  light that make us think we see something 
     like a letter of the alphabet or a shape or face. Clair-Obscur 
     effects are scientifically pointless to observe. However, if you want 
     to be thrilled, or obtain an image to impress someone then give them 
     a go. If you do observe, or image this, by all means send your 
     observation into ALPO or the BAA, but we probably won't publish, 
     but will nevertheless retain in our archives, just in case 
     features elsewhere in the image are of interest to future 
     researchers.


2026-Oct-19 UT 10:58-11:32 Ill=57% 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 


2026-Oct-20 UT 08:39-09:02 Ill=66% Copernicus

     ALPO Request: Compare the darkness of the floor in red and 
     blue filters e.g. (Wratten 25 and 44a). All visual reports, 
     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


2026-Oct-20 UT 08:39-09:02 Ill=66% Godin

     ALPO Request: Compare the darkness of the floor in red and 
     blue filters e.g. (Wratten 25 and 44a). All visual reports, 
     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


2026-Oct-22 UT 09:04-10:01 Ill=84% 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 .


2026-Oct-26 UT 08:48-08:57 Ill=100% Aristarchus

     BAA Request: How bright is the crater? Compare to other ray 
     craters e.g. Proclus, Tycho, Kepler, Cenosrinus, Copernicus. 
     It is possible to do this study using small aperture 
     telescopes with diameters of 2" (or larger) and it would work 
     best at low magnifiactions e.g. 30x. If taking images, try to 
     use short exposures to avoid saturating images of bright ray 
     craters. All visual brightness descriptions or images should 
     be sent to: a t c @ a b e r . a c . u k


2026-Oct-28 UT 13:20-14:42 Ill=92% 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 .


2026-Oct-29 UT 13:06-16:16 Ill=84% 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