Lunar Observing Schedule for: UK Devon Plymouth



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


2026-May-19 UT 20:12-20:26 Ill=13% Picard

     BAA Request: On 2013 Feb 17 UAI observer: Giuseppe Macalli 
     observed visually an orange cloud form just to the west of 
     Picard crater, and then dissappear. The effect lasted about 1 
     minute. Obviously we are not likely to see whatever this was 
     (?) again under similar illumination, but just for the record 
     it would be useful to have a high resolution monochrome or 
     colour image of this area, at the requested observing 
     time.N.B. an image in the 2018 Jun LSC suggests that the date 
     given of 2013 Feb 17 may have been Feb 18? Please send any 
     high resolution images to: a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2026-May-19 UT 20:36-20:44 Ill=13% Picard

     ALPO Request: Compare the crater in red and blue light - if 
     possible use Wratten 25 and Wratten 38A filters. Please 
     use a telescope of aperture 6 or larger (refractor if 
     possible) and at appromimately x250. 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


2026-May-19 UT 20:44-21:18 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-May-20 UT 20:46-22:05 Ill=23% 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-May-21 UT 20:48-22:39 Ill=33% 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-May-22 UT 20:49-23:03 Ill=44% Earthshine: Camelopardalis: ZHR=? (vel=16 km/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-May-22 UT 23:27-23:33 Ill=45% Apollo_11

     Apollo 11: This is what Mare Tranquillitatis would have looked 
     like on the night that Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon. Aim for 
     the area north of Moltke crater. The illumination and the shadows are
     exactly the same. There is no scientific value in imaging 
     this, but from the nostalgic point of view it might be interesting 
     to observe. Feel free to send your observation in to the BAA or 
     ALPO and we will put it in our archives, but as we have 
     a lot of these images already, we may not publish it, unless it is 
     exceptionally high in resolution. Minimum diameter scope to use 
     would be 20cm, but larger apertures are preferred: 


2026-May-23 UT 20:08-22:05 Ill=54% 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-May-23 UT 20:08-22:05 Ill=54% 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-May-23 UT 20:51-22:37 Ill=55% Earthshine: Camelopardalis: ZHR=? (vel=16 km/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-May-24 UT 21:30-22:04 Ill=65% 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-May-24 UT 23:10-00:02 Ill=65% Lassell

     BAA Request: Lassell - we are trying to compare a sketch made 
     by T.G. Elger (1883 Jan 13 UT 19:40), that appeared on the 
     front cover of the BAA's The Moon publication from 1956 Vol 5 
     No. 2, to what can be captured with modern day imagery. This 
     is a good way to compare and contrast observations made by eye 
     with CCD imagery.Telescopes of aperture 8", or larger, should 
     be used. Please send any images to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .


2026-May-26 UT 22:56-23:54 Ill=83% Apollo_16

     Apollo 16: This is what the lunar surface would have looked like 
     when Apollo 16 blasted off from the Moon. Aim for the area 
     North of Descartes. The illumination and the shadows are
     exactly the same. There is no scientific value in imaging 
     this, but from the nostalgic point of view it might be interesting 
     to observe. Feel free to send your observation in to the BAA or 
     ALPO and we will put it in our archives, but as we have 
     a lot of these images already, we may not publish it, unless it is 
     exceptionally high in resolution. Minimum diameter scope to use 
     would be 20cm, but larger apertures are preferred: 


2026-May-28 UT 21:30-00:10 Ill=94% Cavendish_E

     BAA Request: Cavendish E - we are attempting to check out two 
     reports made on 2021 Jun 22 UT 20:44 and 2025 Sep 04 UT 20:04 
     which both said that part of the northern rim of this crater 
     was as bright as Aristarchus. Visual observation or images 
     - high resolution and/or wide angle (to compare with other 
     bright features) would be welcome. Telescopes of aperture 5", 
     or larger, should be used. Please send any images to: 
     a t c @ a b e r . a c. u k .