Section activity has experienced its usual summertime lull - due to the lower elevation of the Moon in the first fortnight of the lunar month during the summer season, and the fact that a Moon riding high is really only visible in early morning skies. When considering the position of the Moon, remember that in a single month our satellite follows the roughly same path around the zodiac that the Sun takes in a year. At the height of summer (say July 15) the Sun is situated high (from British latitudes) in Gemini. At this date the first quarter Moon will therefore be located near to where the Sun will be around three months later - low in Virgo. The full Moon will be situated opposite to the Sun (where the Sun will be in 6 months' time) - in the depths of Sagittarius. The following phases will appear in progressively higher zodiacal constellations - great to observe if you're an early riser or dedicated Moon-watcher.
Since our last News Circular report (as far back as NC 195) lunar reports and observations have been received from:-Lee Macdonald (Newbury) and Dusko Novakovic (Northampton): both contributed clear colour photographs of last September's total lunar eclipse. Lee also included a detailed account of the eclipse, concentrating on describing the subtle colours visible within the Earth's umbral shadow. I would greatly appreciate any reports of the total lunar eclipse on 16 September 1997 - drawings, notes, photographs (please send SAE for their return).
Jeffrey Barham (Barton, Cambridge) used a variety of instruments, including the Brook Farm Half-Metre reflector, a 200 mm reflector and the 150 mm refractor of Newnham College, and sent in some great stippled (ink-dot style) drawings: Theophilus chain (2 Oct 96); Plinius (17 Oct); Kepler region (22 Oct); Dorsum Heim, a lunar ridge (20 Nov); Hevelius / Pythagoras (both 23 Nov); Atlas & Hercules (14 Dec); Rabbi Levi region (14 Jan); Neil Clark (East Rainton, Tyne & Wear) uses a 200 mm reflector to make his forays of the lunar surface, and has submitted many detailed pencil sketches: Copernicus (27 April 96); Clavius (27 May); Walter region (24 Jun); Albategnius (21 Aug).
The section's longest-serving regular observer, Bob Paterson (Speen, Newbury), remains firmly enamoured to lunar observation and continues to capture the view through the eyepiece of his 150 mm reflector in his superb ink and pencil drawings. Bob's observations include: Notes from personal astronomical observing log, including written lunar notes (Sep - Oct 96); Deslandres region (18 Nov 96); Ptolemaeus chain (16 Mar). Bob's observation of Mare Humorum (18 Mar) is featured, in which he notes: "A 10 day old Moon riding high in the southeast presented a fine appearance with much detail visible. I made only one drawing - the area of Mare Humorum as it stretched from Vitello to Gassendi, both of which were emerging into the daylight. Mare Humorum is a complex area, with low ridges and craterlets dotting the surface. The hills surrounding it were, quite frankly, an arduous task to attempt successfully, so I have made only a general indication of the main groups. Gassendi's western rim was showing as one large strip of illuminated high ground, whilst within Gassendi the tips of the interior hills were just beginning to show."
John Coates (Burnley) is now successfully using his 300 mm reflector in conjunction with a CCD camera and VCR to make extensive lunar views: Mt Piton (20 Nov 96); Aristarchus, showing shadow banding in the interior west wall (20 Jan); Magelhaens / Lohse (both 11 Apr); Ptolemy A / isolated mountain peaks north end of Apennines / central peak of Albategnius (all 15 Apr).
Edward Polehampton (Wymeswold) has sent several commendable fine pencil drawings, having observed with a 90 mm reflector. Observations include: Grimaldi (30 May 96); Theophilus chain (13 Feb). Edwards's observation of the Straight Wall - a 100 km long crack in the Moon's crust in Mare Nubium - shows an extraordinary amount of detail, particularly as the region shown is so close to the Moon's sunrise terminator. Here, tons of shadow is thrown up by features of low relief. Even on display is a hint of the rille running close to the crater Birt (from Birt E to F).
New member Grahame Wheatley (Long Eaton) had a magnificent spell of observing with his 125 mm refractor, making some accurate and well-executed drawings of: Theophilus (9 Aug); Albategnius (10 Aug); Plato / Straight Wall & Birt (both 12 Aug); Lee & Doppelmayer (13 Aug); Gassendi (14 Aug). As Grahame's first contributions to the section, they are most impressive.
