Lunar Observing Program Coordinator:

 

 

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The List

The 100 features to be observed for the Lunar Program are listed below. At the top of each section is a space to list the instruments used in the program. After that are five columns: CHK, Object, Feature, Date and Time. The “CHK” column should be used to check off the feature as you observe it. The “Object” column lists the features in Naked Eye, Binocular, and Telescopic order, and tells you what you are observing and when the best time is to observe it. The “Feature” column lists the 100 features to be observed. Finally, the “Date” and “Time” columns allow you to log when you observed the objects. In the last section, we have listed the 10 optional activities, and broken them down as to naked eye, binocular, and telescopic. Also on page 4, we have included four illustrations to help with observing four of the naked eye features.

We certainly hope that you find the Lunar Program useful in helping you become more familiar with earth’s nearest neighbor. If after completing this program you would like to do more work in this area, you may contact The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers.

Julius L. Benton Jr.
ALPO Lunar Recorder
% Associates in Astronomy
305 Surrey Road
Savannah, Ga. 31410
(912) 897-0951
E-mail: 74007.3446@compuserve.com.

Until then, good luck, clear skies, and good observing.

For a printable version of the Checklist, click here

 

Lunar Program Checklist

 

Naked Eye Objects

Instruments Used ____________________________

	OBJECT	FEATURE	DATE	TIME
[ ]	(Within 72 Hrs of new)	Old Moon in New Moon’s Arms	_______	______
[ ]	(Within 72 Hrs of new)	New Moon in Old Moon’s Arms	_______	______
[ ]	(Within 40 Hrs of new)	Crescent Moon, Waxing	_______	______
[ ]	(Within 48 Hrs of New)	Crescent Moon, Waning	_______	______
[ ]		Man in the Moon	_______	______
[ ]		Woman in the Moon	_______	______
[ ]		Rabbit in the Moon	_______	______
[ ]		Cow Jumping Over the Moon	_______	______
	Maria
[ ]		Crisium	_______	______
[ ]		Fecunditatis	_______	______
[ ]		Serenitatis	_______	______
[ ]		Tranquillitatis	_______	______
[ ]		Nectaris	_______	______
[ ]		Imbrium	_______	______
[ ]		Frigoris	_______	______
[ ]		Nubium	_______	______
[ ]		Humorum	_______	______
[ ]		Oceanus Procellarum	_______	______

Binocular Objects

Instruments Used ____________________________

	OBJECT	FEATURE	DATE	TIME
[ ]		Lunar Rays	_______	______
[ ]		Sinus Iridum	_______	______
[ ]		Sinus Medii	_______	______
[ ]		Sinus Roris	_______	______
[ ]		Palus Somnii	_______	______
[ ]		Palus Epidemiarum	_______	______
[ ]		Mare Vaporum	_______	______
	Craters
[ ]	~4 Days old	Langrenus	_______	______
[ ]		Vendelinus	_______	______
[ ]		Petavius	_______	______
[ ]		Cleomedes	_______	______
[ ]		Atlas	_______	______
[ ]		Hercules	_______	______
[ ]		Endymion	_______	______
[ ]		Macrobius	_______	______
[ ]	~7 Days old	Piccolomini	_______	______
[ ]		Theophilus	_______	______
[ ]		Cyrillus	_______	______
[ ]		Catharina	_______	______
[ ]		Posidonius	_______	______
[ ]		Fracastorius	_______	______
[ ]		Aristoteles	_______	______
[ ]		Eudoxus	_______	______
[ ]		Cassini	_______	______
[ ]		Hipparchus	_______	______
[ ]		Albategnius	_______	______
[ ]		Aristillus	_______	______
[ ]		Autolycus	_______	______
[ ]		Maurolycus	_______	______
[ ]	~10 Days old	Plato	_______	______
[ ]		Archimedes	_______	______
[ ]		Ptolemaeus	_______	______
[ ]		Alphonsus	_______	______
[ ]		Arzachel	_______	______
[ ]		Walter	_______	______
[ ]		Maginus	_______	______
[ ]		Tycho	_______	______
[ ]		Clavius	_______	______
[ ]		Eratosthenes	_______	______
[ ]		Longomontanus	_______	______
[ ]		Copernicus	_______	______
[ ]		Bullialdus	_______	______
[ ]		Aristarchus	_______	______
[ ]		Gassendi	_______	______
[ ]	~14 Days old	Kepler	_______	______
[ ]		Grimaldi	_______	______

Telescopic Objects

Instruments Used ___________________________

	OBJECT	FEATURE	DATE	TIME
[ ]		Sinus Aestuum	_______	______
[ ]		Lacus Mortis	_______	______
[ ]		Palus Putredinis	_______	______
[ ]		Promontorium Laplace	_______	______
[ ]		Promontorium Heraclides	_______	______
[ ]		Promontorium Agarum	_______	______
[ ]		Montes Alpes	_______	______
[ ]		Montes Apenninus	_______	______
[ ]		Mons Hadley	_______	______
[ ]		Mons Piton	_______	______
[ ]		Mons Pico	_______	______
[ ]		Rupes Altai	_______	______
[ ]		Rima Hyginus	_______	______
[ ]		Vallis Schroteri	_______	______
[ ]		Vallis Alpes	_______	______
[ ]		Rupes Recta (straight wall)	_______	______
	Craters
[ ]	~4 Days old	Picard	_______	______
[ ]		Furnerius	_______	______
[ ]		Petavius Wall	_______	______
[ ]		Messier/Messier A	_______	______
[ ]		Proclus	_______	______
[ ]		Fabricius	_______	______
[ ]	~7 Days old	Plinius	_______	______
[ ]		Mitchell	_______	______
[ ]		Cassini A	_______	______
[ ]		Manilius	_______	______
[ ]		Gemma Frisius	_______	______
[ ]	~10 Days old	Davy	_______	______
[ ]		Pitatus	_______	______
[ ]		Billy	_______	______
[ ]		Fra Mauro	_______	______
[ ]		Clavius craterlets	_______	______
[ ]		Hippalus	_______	______
[ ]		Herschel, J.	_______	______
[ ]	~14 Days old	Schickard	_______	______
[ ]		Reiner Gamma	_______	______

 

Optional Activities:

Naked Eye:

1. Estimate first quarter phase within eight hours.
2. Estimate third quarter phase within eight hours.
3. Estimate full moon within thirty-six hours.
4. Plot moon’s position against the stars for three consecutive days.
5. Compare the size of the full moon on the horizon with the full moon on the meridian using a dime held at arm’s length.
6. Find the thinnest phase by which you can read newsprint.

Binocular:

1. Sketch libration – use Mare Crisium or Grimaldi for examples.
2. Sketch a lunar map – use any scale for binoculars only.

Telescopic:

1. Plot the moon’s hourly motion against the stars for two hours or more.
2. Measure the height of a lunar mountain – need to calculate the sun’s elevation at the mountain and estimate the shadow length – try Mt. Piton.