On 1986 Mar 15 UT 19:51-19:55 A. Cook (Frimley, UK, Naked Eye
and 12" reflector, x60, seeing IV, transparancy poor)
observed a naked eye flash at 19:50.5 UT in the Mare Nubium
area. The flash was white in colour and lasted not longer
than 0.5 sec and was about magnitude 2 at most in brightness.
There was no rise or fade associated with this flash. Upon
checking the area with the telescope, the observer reproted
seeing a faint fuzzy small patch that came and went over
several seconds in the same general area - but this may have
been due to the seeing conditions and/or glare from the
bright side of the Moon. The patch area was about the same
size as Aristarchus, i.e. approx 40 km across. Note however
that observing conditons were too poor that night to see
Aristarchus. At later observing sessions from 20:30UT
onwards, the patch was not seen. The ALPO/BAA weight=3.
On 1821 Jan 16 at UT 21:00 S. Cooke (Stonehouse, UK) An
effusion of smoke effect, which lasted about a minute, seen.
It appeared like the fluttering of a bird and passed over the
Moon before it evaporated, and must have been foreshortened,
as it seemed in effect to have passed over the whole disc,
starting from west of Menelaus, and near Plinius. ALPO/BAA
weight=1.
Variations in vapor column rising from the Cobra Head feature
(seen on several nights in succession) and also in the visibility of
craterlets A, C, F. Sunrise +2d. (time est. fr. gives colongitude).
Cameron 1978 catalog ID=279 and weight=3. Pickering was observing from
the southern station of Harvard University in Arequipa, Peru.
Plato 1916 Oct 10 UT 21:00? Observed by M, Maggeni (Florence
Obs., Italy) "Reddish shadow spread over part of crater. Looked like
vapor (like nitrous vapor) and obscured underlying craters. The Cameron
1978 catalog weight=3 and ID = 365. The ALPO/BAA weight=3.
Eratosthenes 1976 Sep 08 UTC 04:29 Observed by Bartlett (Baltimore, MD,
USA, 4.5" reflector 45-225x, S=5-4, T=5) "Psuedo-shadow X3 was present
but X disappeared from wall(same intensity?) which was rated 4 deg.
Disappearance of X so unexpected that he examined inner S wall very
carefully & was certain it was free from psuedo-shad. Had vanished
within 24h. Other pseudo-shadows showed no change. X reappeared next
nite. (X must have been 4deg; &this is much higher than any other
meas.). Variability of wall shadows may habe been what Pickering saw,
suggests Bartlett." Cameron 1978 TLP catalog weight=4 and catalog ID
1452. ALPO/BAA weight=2.
Plato 1973 Aug 13 UT 22:25-22:35 observed by Pedler (Devon, UK).
Observer noticed a slight blink on a lighter patch on the floor
just beneath the south(?) rim using Moon blink filters.
ALPO/BAA weight=1.
David Darling observed bright glittering on Aristarchus. This
was followed by a flare up in brightness at 00:38:05 UT in the
comet-like ray area of the crater equivalent in intensity to the
central peak. Then he saw another one on the north east rim of
Aristarchus of the same brightness. A third flare was seen at
00:49UT in south of Herodotus, on the comet-like ray. Another
two flares were observed at 00:56UT on the north west rim of
Aristarchus. Darling suspects that these effects were due
to seeing effects and Cameron agrees. However Weier suspects
that they were TLP? Brightness measurements by Weier were for
the south west rim of Herodotus 8.0, for a spot at the Cobra's
Head 9.0 and 7.5 for C.H. Cameron apparently did not see the flashes
but did suspect that the interior of Aristarchus was a bit unusual.
Don Spain did not see anything unsual at all. Cameron 2006 extended
catalog ID=380 and the observation weight=3. The ALPO/BAA weight=2.
Kepler 1962 Jul 17 UTC 06:24,08:36 Observed by Wildey, Pohn (Mt Wilson,
CA, USA, 60" reflector+photometer) "Crater was at Vmag 2.68 at earlier
obs. which was .47 mag brighter than av. mag. at 15d & it faded to near
normal at later time to V=3.10(photom. measures), a change of 1/2 mag.
or @1.5 times in brightness" NASA catalog weight=5 (very good). NASA
catalog ID #761.
On 1978 Aug 18 at UT 22:00 Coates (England?, UK, 3" refractor,
seeing=II) found that the inner bands of Aristarchus were hard to see,
this was odd because the seeing conditions were good and he usually
sees them? However he did not believe that there was any obscuration
going on. The Cameron 2006 catalog ID=37 and weight=0. The ALPO/BAA
weight=1.
Aristarchus 1967 Dec 16 UTC 22:00? Observed by Farrant (Cambridge,
England, 8" reflector) "Crater took on an unusual appearance on inner
NE (ast. ?) wall. Showed a very pale blue & the opposite wall a pale
red color seen in no other features. Lasted only 10m & survived a
change of eyepieces." Seeing=I (Antoniadi). NASA catalof weight=3
(average). NASA catalog ID #1056.
On 1893 Apr 01 at UT 22:00 deMoraes of the Azores, Portugal, saw a
shaft of light projecting from the Moon. Cameron 1978 catalog ID=280
and weight=0. ALPO/BAA weight=1.
Proclus 1955 Nov 01 UTC 02:50-03:05 Observed by Bartlett (Baltimore,
MD, USA, 3.5" reflector x100, S=6, T=5) "Proc. D normally 5 deg bright
was vis. tonite only in blue light, whereas usually is vis. in
integrated light. However at col. 110.5 deg it was a dark spot (see #
816) C.p. tonite was normal 5 deg bright but in Oct. lun. was dark".
NASA catalog weight=4 (good). NASA catalog ID #625. Note Proclus D does
not refer to the crater Proclus D as defined by the IAU, but probably
to a spot inside the crater that Bartlett designated D!
Mare Crisium 1962 Jul 18 UTC 09:54 Observed by Wildey & Pohn (Mt
Wilson, CA, USA, 60" reflector + Photometer) "Photometric meas. showed
change in brightness of the area of over a mag. during the nite.
Recorded at Vmag=3.56 first, & a few min(?) later at 4.62. It was .95
mag. brighter (@2.5x) than av. for that age & then returned to
normal." NASA catalog weight=5 (very high). NASA catalog ID #762.
On 1992 Jul 16 at UT 03:32-09:31 D. Louderback (South Bend, WA, USA,
3" refractor, x134) detected yellow on the southern rim of Aristarchus,
and the colour looked "darker" through a yellow filter and the region
was "duller" than normal. The region was 1 intesnsity step brighter on
the 2nd measurement, "on all points in it". The comet tail-like ray had
3 sections and was "mottled" in appearance. Finally the Cobra Head
region had possible variations in brightness. The cameron 2006 catalog
ID=451 and the weight=3. The ALPO/BAA weight=2.
Gassendi 1940 Sep 18 UTC 03:15 Observed by Haas (New Mexico? 12"
? reflector) "Largest bright spot in SE part of floor had I=6.1,
but I=6.7 & 8.6 on other nites. (same ph. see #469, 472 & 475)"
NASA catalog weight=4. NASA catalog ID #474. ALPO/BAA weight=2.
East of Picard 1864 Oct 16/17 UT 23:00-01:00? Observed by
Ingall (Camberwell ?, UK) "Remarkable bright spot" NASA
catalog weight=3. NASA catalog ID #135. ALPO/BAA weight=3.
Plato 1870 Feb 18 UTC 00:00? Observed by Gledhill (Halifax, England,
9" refractor) "Illum. of another group of craters different from group
in Aug. & Sep. obs. (date is F18 if phase is similar to Ap 1870)
NASA catalog weight=2 (low). NASA catalog ID #164.
Mare Crisium 1962 Jul 19 UTC 07:30 Observed by Wildey & Pohn (Mt
Wilson, CA, USA, 60" reflector + Photometer) "Photometric meas. showed
change in brightness from Vmag=3.46 to V=3.07, where av. mag. for that
age=3.26, or a brightening of .58 mag." NASA catalog weight=5 (very
high). NASA catalog ID #763.
Plato 1938 Jun 15 UTC 08:00 Observed by Haas? (New Mexico?, 12?"
reflector) "NW. end of floor had intensity I=2.0, but on 7/15/38, I=
3.7, conditions similar." NASA catalog weight=4 (high). NASA catalog ID
#439.
Plato 1971 Dec 04 UT21:00-21:10 D.B.Taylor (Dundee, UK, 10"
refractor, conditions poor and turbulent). Observer suspected
colour orange colour near bright spot on north wall. Observation
ceased due to being clouded out. ALPO/BAA weight=1.
On 1965 May 18 at UT 03:00-03:30 Cragg (Mt Wilson?, CA, USA, 6"
refractor?) observed a TLP (no feature nor description given in
the Cameron 1978 catalog) on the Moon. The Cameron 1978 catalog ID=877
and weight=4. The ALPO/BAA weight=1.
Mare Crisium 1962 Jul 19 UTC 09:48 Observed by Wildey & Pohn (Mt
Wilson, CA, USA, 60" reflector + Photometer) "Photometric meas. showed
change in brightness from Vmag=3.46 to V=3.07, where av. mag. for that
age=3.26, or a brightening of .58 mag." NASA catalog weight=5 (very
high). NASA catalog ID #763.
On 1990 Jan 13 at UT 22:15-23:05 J. Pedler (Bristol, UK, seeing=III and
transparency=excellent, no spurious colour) detected a blue region on
the north of Aristarchus, varying in sharpness/diffuseness. The crater
rim in this region could not be descerned. Eleswhere the crater rim was
normal as too were other features. When a Moon blink device was used,
no colour blink was detected, however through the blue filter the
suspected area was bright and the crater rim indistinct. Whereas
through the red filter the area looked perfectly normal. At 22:30UT the
effect had vanished and everywhere was normal. The Cameron 2006 catalog
ID=388 and the weight=5. The ALPO/BAA weight=3.
Four bright spots seen in Mare Crisium. There was also peculiar
behaviour of the terminator. Source: Midlehurst 1968 catalog TLP ID=16.
Ref Web 1962 p62-76. The ALPO/BAA weight=1.
Proclus 1956 Jul 25 UTC 06:16-06:33 Observed by Bartlett
(Baltimore, MD, USA, 5" reflector, x180, S=3-5, T=4) "C.p.
distinctly vis. within floor shadeo, est. 5 deg bright but no
trace of it at col. 122.37deg in Oct, '55(Oct. 4?)." NASA
catalog weight=4 (good). NASA catalog ID #645. ALPO/BAA
weight=2.
On 1990 Jan 14 at UT 01:14-01:55 M.C. Cook (Frimley, UK, seeing=poor)
observed that Aristarchus did not appear normal for this illumination.
the northern half of Aristarchus was "2x>" than the southern half of
the crater. There were two white patches of apron material near to the
crater Herodotus that were 50% of the brightness of the southern half
of Aristarchus. Furthermore the southern half of Aristarchus had a
circle - "dull patch on inner S wall with a bright point shining
through it. (Bartlett's EWBS?)". The Cameron 2006 catalog ID=389 and
the weight=4. The ALPO/BAA weight=2.
On 1979 Aug 12 at UT07:00-10:35 D. Darling and wife (Sun Prarie, WI,
USA, 12.5" reflector, x342, photos, S=9/10) observed a cigar shaped
protruberance in Romer crater that cast a 32km long shadow, nestled in
a valley rille next to Romer. This was a confirmed observation. The
effect persisted intil sunset. The top of the object and two points on
the crater rim were reflecting the Sun's rays. "Top of obj. & 2 pts on
crater rim reflected suns rays. It was as high as the crater rim
whereas the rill wall was not. Took photos. he has studied this area
and never saw such a phenom before. Photos did not show it". The
Cameron 1978 catalog ID=65 and weight=5. The ALPO/BAA weight=2.
Theophilus 1971 Dec 06 UT 21:35-23:20 Observed by Findlay, Ford,
Taylor, Robbie (Dundee, Scotland, 10" reflector x180), Bolger
(Chester, England), Fitton (Lancashire, England, 8" reflector).
"Red-orange patch on E. (IAU?) floor even without a blink.
Others confirmed. Dimmed by 2105h but still seen. Dimmer yet at
2230h & gone at 2300h. Baum saw brownish-red patch at 25.5E,
12.5S. Taylor saw reddish patch SE of crater, fainter at 2220h,
gone at 2300h. Fitton saw image very dull,yellow & steady.
Filters showed nothing unusual, & nothing seen at 2320h." NASA
catalog weight=5. NASA catalog ID #1320. ALPO/BAA weight=3.
Aristillus 1939 Sep 03 UT 05:00 Observed by Haas? (New
Mexico?) "Dark area in W. part of floor was I=4.0, comp. with
I=1.3, & I=3.7 (see #450, & #454). Used different telescope,
but can't explain diff. in albedo, since phase is similar in 2
& dist. from term. similar in all (normal?)." NASA catalog
weight=4. NASA catalog ID #459. ALPO/BAA weight=3.
Observed by Dachille & daughter (Univ. Park, Pennsylvania, 10.5"
reflector, x75) "Flash -- then a brownish - red color patch. Alt. @
20deg. (MBMW has Oct. 12, but is 13th UT)". NASA catalog weight=5
(very good). NASA catalog ID #674.
Eratosthenes 1976 Sep 14 UTC 04:24 Observed by Bartlett (Baltimore, MD,
USA, 4.5" reflector, 45-300x, S=6, T=3 hazy) "Pseudo shadow F
disappeared & wall here is same intensity as whole inner crater wall, =
4deg. No change in X, X3 or X2 (4 deg much brighter than normal)." NASA
catalog weight=4 (good). Cameron c1978 atalog ID=1453 and weight=4. The
ALPO/BAA weight=2.
Observations made with a variable polarizer (akin to a crater
extinction device) to measure brighness with red and blue filters.
Some variability in brightness noted. With the Kodak Wratten
25 and 38A filters there was little or no increase in contrast with the
red filter, but with the blue filter there was a great increase in
contrast of the brighter areas of the crater - the crater floor and
patches of lighter material, especially at the north end. The remaining
areas were supressed with the Blue 38A. ALPO/BAA weight=3.
Gassendi 1966 Dec 04 UTC 01:05-01:23 Observed by Whippey (Northolt?
England, 6" reflector, x212) "Abrupt flash of red, setling in
immediately to a pt. of red haze nr. NW (ast.?) wall. Continuous till
0123 (date given was 4-12-66 = European convention?)." NASA catalog
weight=3 (average). NASA catalog ID #1000.
On 1966 Apr 12 at UT 01:05-01:23 Whippey (Northolt, England, UK, 6"
reflector x212) and Corralitos Observatory (Organ Pass, NM, USA, 24"
Moon Blink) observed in Gassendi: "Abrupt flash of red, settling
immediately to a point of red haze near NW (IAU?) wall. Continuous till
0123h. (Not confirmed at Corralitos Obs. MB--at same time?". The
Cameron 1978 catalog ID=927 and weight=3. The ALPO/BAA weight=2.
Alphonsus 1956 Oct 26 UT 12:54 Observed by Alter (Mt Wilson, CA,
USA, 60" reflector, S=E) "Photog. thru UV & IR filters. Obscur.
of E. 1/2 of floor evident in blue plates -- KodakII-O plate no
filter. 2m later Kodak I-N. One pair of plates best he'd ever
seen. Similar obscuration seen 2X on Linne (this started Kozyrev
on his spectrographic program.)." NASA catalog weight=5 (very
high). NASA catalog ID #653.
On 1980 Jul 05 at 03:20UT P.Moore (Selsey, UK, 12?" reflector)
found Aristarchus to be "Very brilliant indeed". Cameron 2006
TLP catalog ID=100 and weight=3. ALPO/BAA weight=2.
Copernicus 1939 Sep 06 UTC 06:00 Observed by Haas? (New Mexico?, 12"
reflector) "Dark area at foot of N. inner wall had I=4.8 comp. with I=
1.8 in #451. (same phase so a real difference)." NASA catalog weight=4
(good). NASA catalog ID #460.
On 1983 Dec 28 at UT03:30-05:00 Moseley (Covington, England, UK,
seeing=V-IV and transparency=good) detected some detail within the
shadow under good moments of seeing. The external brightness was
extended to the east wall at a clock position of 9 O'clock, but did not
go outside the rim. It was less bright at the 11 O'clock position. The
Cameron 2006 catalog ID=236 and the weight=3. The ALPO/BAA weight=2.
On 1975 Sep 29 at 21:15-21:55UT P.W. Foley (Kent, UK, using a 12"
reflector, x200, seeing III), saw colour on Plato - blue on the inner
south west rim and red on the inner south east rim. No colour was seen
elsewhere on the Moon. This was a BAA Lunar Section Observation.
ALPO/BAA weight=2.
On 1969 Feb 12 at UT 12:00 Taboada (Mexico, seeing=excellent) found
that the Aristarchus region had the same characteristics as the
previous days, perhaps a little darker colour brown, but more
remarkable. He used red, blue and green filters and a difference in
colour was noticed in and out of the region. Cameron suspects that
permanent colour was being seen? The cameron 1978 catalog ID=1116 and
weight=3. The ALPO/BAA weigh=2.
On 1956 Jul 30 at UT 19:13 Dzapiashvili (Pulkova, Russia) observed the
following in Posidonius: "Short term sharp changes in polarization in
crater (in ashen light)". The Cameron 1978 catalog ID=643 and weight=5.
The ALPO/BAA weight=5.
On 1882 Nov 07 at UT 05:00 Hopkins (UK) observed the dark
eastern limb and a line of light and attributed this to a lunar
atmosphere. Further details can be found in: Reference: Sirius
16, 279, 1883. Cameron 1978 catalog ID=229 and weight=3.
ALPO/BAA weight=2.
On 1884 Sep 16 at UT 09:30-10:00 Heywood (Westville, Ohio, 2"
refractor) saw an unusually bright glow covering dark part, nearly
uniform. Thought it was electric because it was too bright for
Earthshine. It obscured features. The Cameron 1978 catalog ID= and
weight=1. The ALPO/BAA weight=1