Observing List

Lunar Program Observing List

Lunar Program Chair:

Steve A. Nathan
A. L. Lunar Program Co-ordinator
45 Brewster Road
West Springfield, Ma. 01089
(413) 967-9435
E-mail: steve_nathan@hotmail.com
Assisted by John Wagoner.

 

Lunar Club Logo

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

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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.

Related Links

Lunar Program Introduction
The Man, Woman, and Rabbit in the Moon, and the Cow Jumping Over the Moon
Find Your Lunar Program Award