IWLOP #085 - Plato

IWLOP #085 - Plato

Spectacular dark-floored crater at the margin of Mare Imbrium and south of Mare Frigoris. It is older than Mare Imbrium. Plato's dark floor is basin-like and visible whenever it is in sunlight.

Location: 48.0 N 9.3 W    Origin: Impact and Volcanic     Size: 101 km     Rukl: 3     Type: Complex Crater (CC)

Objects: Plato, Fontonelle, Philolaus
Others Identified: Anaximenes, Anaximander, Carpenter, J. Herschel, Mons Pico, Montes Teneriffe

Observation 1:
Location: Home
Date: 2018-09-02
Time: 12:10 AM ADT
Equipment: 10" Meade SCT
Eyepiece: Explore Scientific 4.7mm with 82° FOV
Magnification: x530
Seeing: Very Good (4) - Good (3)
Transparency: Good (3)

R1:  Plato has a very dark and smooth floor. Oval shaped.

C1: Plato's floor is darker than that of Mare Imbrium. 
C2: The irregular rim features cast through shadows will have to be observed in other observing sessions.

 

Observation 2:
Location: Home
Date: 2021-04-24
Time: 10:24 PM ADT
Equipment: 10" Meade SCT
Eyepiece: Explore Scientific 4.7mm with 82° FOV + x2 Barlow; also tried Antares 25 mm Plösl
Magnification: x1060, x100
Seeing: Very Good (4) - Good (3)
Transparency: Good (3)

R2: Fontonelle and Philolaus located. Couldn't see them last week; probably a more favourable libration this evening.

C3: I tried to view the 5 craters on Plato's floor; located one (refer to the sketch). I don't have a large aperture scope to view them but did try a couple of eyepieces to see these craters. No success in viewing the other 4.

     

 

 

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