Moon: Day 25 - “No More Jura”
Published on 9 Feb 2010 at 9:07 am.
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The sky was dark and moonless at my location almost all of the night, but it was also variably cloudy with flurries. It is only with twilight oncoming this morning, 24 yrs to the day after Comet Halley’s perihelion, that I finally get to examine the Moon emerging from the broken cloudiness. It is in Sagittarius now (7:30am CST) and to my southeast some 25 days & 6 1/2 hrs old. With the sunset terminator at 36 degrees west longitude, the most outstanding crater before it with bold relief is Gassendi - 69 miles across. Most of its floor still remains sunlit though, despite the invasion of the lunar night into 1/3 of Mare Humorum. North of here, the terminator has come upon the east rim of small Encke crater, as it has to much larger Herschel across Mare Frigoris. The Jura Mountains are no more able to be seen, though craters like Sharp and Miriam are dark punctures beyond almost all shaded within. Grimaldi continues to be much tilted away from us, and there won’t be any seeing of old large Bailly for the rest of this lunation. Schiller is at least 1/2 shaded within on the southern highlands; Schickard & Phocylides are recognizable by their increasing relief. Pythagoras and Pascal craters are in view in the northern cusp of this Moon, but the latter is practically righ on the limb. Notice too how Aristarchus looks inside now compared to when the Moon is a big waxing gibbous.
Moon: Day 24 - “Dividing Reinhold”
Published on 8 Feb 2010 at 8:20 am.
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An arctic haze is in the air at my location this morning when I briefly examine the waning crescent Moon to my south-southeast, when it is at an age of 24 days & 6 hrs hrs old. This Moon has an ice pillar from its light, as the outside temperature is near -10 F with a stinging NW breeze. The sunset terminator is at 7:00am CST located at 23 degrees west longitude. So, no more seeing Copernicus anymore for the rest of the lunation. However, the west wall of Schiller is shaded, along with that of Hainzel. Crater Mee beside it retains a sunlit floor. The “Bullet Hole” craters are practically next to the southern limb, given that and the western limb tilted away from us. Gassendi crater is rising with relief to the sinking Sun from the Moon; its sidekick, Gassendi A is almost 1/2 shaded within, like Bianchini atop the Jura Mountains. In the fat northern cusp, Babbage is recognizeable with its hexagonal shape and shaded southwestern wall. Sinus Iridum is shaded against it west side within too. How much of this bold terrain will you recognize tomorrow? Oh, and that reddish star to the west of the waning Moon some 9-10 degrees is Antares.
Still No Aurora.
Published on 7 Feb 2010 at 11:45 pm.
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Filed under Earth's Atmosphere, Sun.
A cold raw wave of Canadian air arrived here today after almost another inch of snow fell. Temperatures fell from the mid-20s F early this morning to just 8 F by sunset. I just looked to my north an hour ago, but still no auroras seen. I can say that it would not surprise me at all to see some kind of event of them this coming week. More sunspots have developed on the Sun, and they are well-placed for delivering activity toward us. Nothing of them drawn today however, as it cleared more only toward sunset. A lot of clouds expected at my location in the coming week however.
More Snow!
Published on 6 Feb 2010 at 9:00 am.
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Although temperatures are pleasant so far, there has been more snow at my location with temperatures in the low 20s F. A fat waning crescent tried to show through the clouds to my south-southeast, but not good enough for telescopic observation. I would believe it is in Scorpio by now. Lots of clouds however, and a total so afar of 3.5 inches of new snow falls, most of it late yesterday. It is thus VERY fortunate that there has only been very light winds here overnight. More cold to come next week!
Where is Jupiter?
Published on 5 Feb 2010 at 3:46 am.
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All cloudy here yesterday, and probably today too, but have you seen Jupiter recently? How long will you be able to see it with your eyes and then with binoculars? It is 549 million miles away from us today and will be at the opposite side of the Sun from us on Feb. 28th. Through your telescope, you won’t see any detail on it, as it is low to the west-southwest in evening twilight and setting by 7:30pm CST. You could spot its four Galilean moons anyway. Notice also that it is some 30% smaller in apparent size than it will be when closest to Earth this Sept. 21. Still, it is over 3 times the apparent size of Venus, which it will pair up with on Feb. 16. Use binoculars to spot these planets just 15 minutes after sunset then, just 1/2 degree apart. Will you see the 21-22 hr old very thin Moon beside (right of) them on Feb. 14th?