Objects: Rheita, Vallis Rheita, Steinheil, Watt, Reimarus , Vega, Furnerius, Fraunhaufer, Lyot, Lyot H, Pierescius, Brisbane, Brisane Z, Rima Hase, Hanno, Oken, Mare Australe, Metius, Fabricus, Janssen, Rimae Jannsen, Young, Jean
Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent (35.6% illumination)
Date: 2024-05-13
Location: Home
Time: 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Temp: not recorded
Equipment: 10” Meade SCT
Eyepieces: Explore Scientific 4.7mm eyepiece to Tele Vue 40mm Plössl eyepiece, x2 Barlow
Seeing: Good (3)
Transparency: Good (3)
No breeze and clear skies. Orange-brown smoke from Alberta fires could be seen as two bands in the WSW horizon. Jerry had left for SCO to work on the 8" scope but not before setting up the 10" Meade SCT and refreshing my memory on its use. It had been a while since I had last worked on the RASC IWLOP and I had hoped to get:
- #15: Promontorium Lavinum and Olivium
- #21: Sinus Concordia
- #26: Rupes Cauchy and Cauchy Domes
I very quickly realized I had picked the wrong Q-day! Although it was easy enough to find the area the objects were located, they were too illuminated to really observe their features.
What does one then do? You play with the various eyepieces from 4.7mm to 40mm and x2 Barlow. Focusing with the Barlow was a challenge! I then realized that the SE limb was librated so looked at what was showing (i.e., what I could identify). It helped to use the mirror-image S&T Lunar map, not the standard one.
What was identified:
- Rheita
- Vallis Rheita
- Steinheil
- Watt
- Reimarus
- Vega
- Furnerius
- Fraunhaufer
- Lyot
- Lyot H
- Pierescius
- Brisbane
- Brisane Z
- Rima Hase
- Hanno
- Oken
- Mare Australe
- Metius
- Fabricus
- Janssen
- Rimae Jannsen
- Young
- Jean