IWLOP #092 - Clavius
Exceptionally large crater seen at its best near the time of First Quarter and Last Quarter Moon. It is also visible in binoculars. Used some of the viewing time this evening for Explore the Moon (Telescope).
Location: 58.4 S 14.4 W Origin: Impact Size: 225 km Rukl: 72, 73 Type: Complex Crater (CC)
Objects: Clavius, Rutherford, Porter, Clavius C, D, J, N (on crater floor), Clavius K, L, M (on/near the rim)
Location: Home
Date: 2017-10-28
Time: 8:10 PM ADT
Equipment: 10” Meade SCT
Eyepiece: Tele Vue 40mm Plössl
Magnification: x63
Seeing: Very Good (4)
Transparency: Very Good (4)
No wind. 10° C.
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (59.7% illuminated)
Moonrise: 3:05 PM ADT, Sunset: 6:16 PM ADT
Moonset: 1:15 AM ADT (Oct 29)
R1: Located Clavius next to Blancanus on the terminator.
R2: Noted 4 craters in a unique half-circle of progressively smaller craters. Craters D, C, N and J on the crater floor began at Rutherford and ended near crater L.
C1: Found the overlapping crater Porter in the NE and the overlapping crater Rutherford in the SE. Craters C, D, J, N were identified on the crater floor; craters K, L, M were on or near the rim.
NOTE: On June 19, 2021, we had our Grandson for an overnight. I had the 10" Meade SCT set up and we looked at the Moon with a 9.7 mm eyepiece (x258 magnification). What was really cool was that he was looking at the mares shown on the S&T Field Map of the Moon and was trying to locate them naked eye. One thing I showed him was Clavius that was on the terminator. We could see a black floor, one exterior wall that was very well lit, and the top rims of two craters (perhaps C & D) looked like a pair of eyes peering out into the darkness.