30 April 2007

Observing Location	MetOval
Observational Period	2000-2330 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature mid 60s Wind Light Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Cool When I left Queens the wind was so strong I had to lean into it to walk across the parking lot. It was blowing a strong breeze at sunset and gusting higher. I would have gone to Central Park if it had not been for the wind. If it hadn’t been for a few times when a light haze or a stripe of cloud or contrail passed over the moon I would have had to have rated transparency as excellent. Seeing was very stable. Transparency Good Seeing I
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Venus Constellation Tau Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070430.2000 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Phase Waning Gibbous Elongation ° % Illuminated 68.31% Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU ms Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size 16" Magnitude -4.1 Altitude 35°37’; Saturn was still high enough to see it over the tops of the close in apartment buildings and was blazing brightly even in this over-illuminated area.

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070430.2000 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU hm Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size "x" Ring Angular Size "x" Ring Inclination ° Magnitude +0.38 Altitude 66°23’ Saturn looks slightly yellow but not terribly bright. It never looks like much in the binocular so I never bothered looking at it. It still makes a right triangle with Regulus and Algieba.

Target Moon Constellation Vir Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070430.2000 EDT Comments Lunation 1043 Phase Waxing Gibbous Full Moon – 1d6h Age 13.52d Distance Light Time (from earth) 404,859 km s Elongation ° % Illuminated 98.2% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) Magnitude -12.58 Angular Size 29'52" Altitude 14°42’ The Moon is about a degree or so to the lower right of Spica I had a very productive night observing with my new Moon map. I had Grego with me but never used it. I was able to give names to features I have not seen named before. It will take forever to observe the moon when the lighting isn’t so flat. Montes Secchi is a ridge separating Mare Tranquilitatis from Mare Fecunditatis. I didn’t note having seen the crater Secchi or much larger Tarontius nearby. Lacus Lenitatis is a small feature under Mare Serenitatis between Menelaus and Manlius, which are both bright white. Lacus Somniorun looks like it is two distinct features separated by the dunce cap of Mare Serenitatis. Posidonius is white with a whiter central area that must be Posidonius A. The terminator is passing around the western rim of Riccioli. Mare Humboldtianum looks small and not as dark as Endymion. Mercurius is also visible to the right of Endynion and a splash of Lacus Temporis beneath them. Montes Recti, Monters Teneriffe and Mons Piton were all visible in northern Mare Imbrium. Archimedes looks small compared to Timocharis, Aristillus and Cassini. Promontorium Heraclides if visible to the western extent of Sinus Iridum but I can’t make out the Jura Mountains. Also not visible are the Carpathian and Appenine Mountains. I can see Euler and Pytheas and a dorsa or ray between Pytheas and Timocharis. Sinus Aestuum is to the SW of Eratosthenes and Sinus Medii to its SW and in the center of the Moon’s disk. There appears to be a ray running from Lepler to Aristarchus It looked like there was a Mare Orientale-like feature W of Mare Humorum where Mersenius, Darwin and Vieta are situated. There is a ray visible from Tycho extending to the NW past Bullialdus amd most of the way to Lansberg. SE of Mare Humorum I found the Marsh of Epidemics, Palus Epidemiarum and the Lake of Rears, Lacus Timoris. I think I saw Walther just to the right of a ray going from Tycho up toward Mare Serenitatis. It looks like there is a mountain above Mare Cognitum (Known Sea) and SE of the Apollo 12 landing site. It is not named in the Rukl Atlas of the Moon. but there is an elevated feature depicted there. Oceanus Procelarum appears to come to a point to the W of the uplands SW of Sinus Iridum and looks like it connects with round Sinus Roris by a river the way the Black Sea connects to the Mediteranean Sea through the Bosphorus. In the NE Sinus Roris merges with a detached piece of Mare Frigoris and there is an indication or roughness where Harpalus would be. Maginus and Clavius seem to merge in outline although there is a slight circular darkening where Maginus is. I can just make out Longomontanus Mare Undarum and Mare Spumans are very dark and I can see Condorcet and Firmicus between Undarum and Spumand and Mare Crisium. I see Mare Marginus but none of the other eastern limb libration maria. At 2315 EDT Hedin has come out of the terminator.

Helen stopped by tonight. She is a local resident I have often seen wandering around the oval. I think she has more than one screw that needs tightening. She always runs around wearing a plastic tiara. I heard about “UFTs” from her and visitations and abductions of “credible personages." She was born in the community sometime around the time of my birth and was a NYC school teacher. Interestingly, she has never wanted people anywhere near her. Is it a wonder we didn’t learn anything in NYC schools.

---

Sunspots Observed

Observing Hours for the Year To Date

	Day			Night			Total
	Hours	Days	Avg	Hours	Days	Avg	Hours	Days	Avg
Jan	4.25	12	0.35	7.75	9	0.86	12.00	16	0.75
Feb	3.50	14	0.25	20.75	5	4.15	24.25	15	1.62
Mar	9.25	16	0.58	36.75	10	3.68	46.00	17	2.71
Apr	4.00	14	0.29	22.50	7	3.21	26.5	16	1.66
TOTAL	21.00	56	0.40	87.75	31	2.72	108.75	64	1.71