Moon 27th October 2017

Look at how much more of the Moon we can see in 48 hours. The first photo shows the shape of the on the 25th overlaid in a transparent green colour on the Moon of the 27th. It is a little bit bigger so a whole lot better!

Time 18:50.

Distance 249,091 miles.

First quarter phase.

180 degrees S compass point (azimuth).

Altitude 18.5 degrees.

Moon 25th October 2017

Today is the 51st anniversary (1966) of Luna 12 going into lunar orbit!

It had a television system that took 1100-line photographs - about twice the resolution of the old UK television system!

It took pictures of the Sea of Rains and the Aristarchus crater, which you can't see in the photo so I've marked the locations.

We're not sure what happened to Luna 12 but we think it decayed from orbit and crashed into the Moon, location unknown.

Time 18:15.
Distance 251,626 miles.
Waxing crescent phase.
190 degrees S compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 16.1 degrees.

Moon 5th October 2017

I'm a bit behind with this photo but it was the last time I saw the Moon - over 2 weeks ago!

2 days and 46 years since Luna 19 went into orbit around the Moon. It's a full moon now but if I had been standing here 46 years ago it would be a waning gibbous.

Now:
Time 23:00.
Distance 234,067 miles.
Full moon phase.
140 degrees SE compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 32.3 degrees.

1971:
Distance 221,726 miles.
Waning gibbous phase.
120 degrees SE compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 38.8 degrees.

Moon 2nd October 2017

Very cloudy at 7:15 (first two photos) but 2 1/2 hours later and the sky was clear!
You can see some of the features mentioned by Pete Lawrence in The Sky at Night programme (

@16:00 minutes):
1, Mare Tranquillitatis (where Apollo 11 landed)
2, Tycho (which is only 80km across but has some beautiful rays)
3, Montes Apenninus or Apennines
4, Archimedes
5, Autolycus
6, Aristillus
7, Reiner Gamma (which looks like an eye) (not visible in this photo!)
(first and second photos, 19:15 / third photo, 21:45)
Distance 240,323 / 240,323 miles.
Waxing gibbous phase / waxing gibbous phase.
130 degrees SE compass point / 165 degrees S compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 11.9 / 24.3 degrees.

The Sky at Night

The latest 'The Sky at Night' is really very good. It's about the Moon - 'Return to the Moon?'

It's still availiable to watch on the BBC iPlayer.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b097xp51/the-sky-at-night-return-to-the-moon

Moon 1st October 2017

Spot the Moon! Too much cloud.

Time 19:54.
Distance 243,510 miles.
Waxing gibbous phase.
150 degrees SE compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 17.3 degrees.

Moon 29th September 2017

This time the sky's a bit wet but suprisingly you can see good detail.

The terminator is on Copernicus!

Time 19:31.
Distance 248,731 miles.
Waxing gibbous phase.
160 degrees S compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 17.2 degrees.

Moon 28th September 2017 & Moon 3rd October 2017

Happy 46th Anniversary to Luna 19!

The Luna 19 spacecraft was unmanned. It lanched on 28th September 1971 and went into orbit on 3rd October 1971 (although some sources say it was the 2nd!).

It investigated mascons in the Maria on the Moon. Mascons are unusual concentrations of mass on a planet or moon's surface.

It also studied the Sun's magnetic field, carried by the solar wind!

Instruments included a Gamma-ray spectrometer, cosmic-ray detectors and radiation detectors - wow!

This year's weather was very different to the weather in 1971. It looks like it was warmer and dryer in 1971. On the 28th, the Moon was very clear but on the 3rd it was cloudy. Look at those photos!

yyyy mmm   max    min   rain   sun
           temp   temp  mm     hours
1971 Sep   19.0   8.2   18.6   157.5
1971 Oct   15.7   6.0   59.1   142.0
2017 Sep   17.3   9.3   88.6   116.8
(source: www.metoffice.gov.uk , 1971 temperatures are mean max/mins)

(first photo, 28th September / second photo, 3rd October)
Time 19:40 / 23:45.
Distance 250,359 / 237,085 miles.
First quarter phase / waxing gibbous phase.
180 degrees S compass point (azimuth) (both photos).
Altitude 17.1 / 29.8 degrees.