– The Lunar Fascination Continues In All Serenity
‘The Moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to’ said Carl Sandburg and for many of us, this is a reality as also a stress buster. At night when it shines luminously, it makes my life bright and meaningful. With so many imperfections, it is still the most beautiful and the most fascinating natural satellite to watch from our planet with naked eyes. It was time for me to join many fellow enthusiasts and other curious people from around the world to watch the Moon.
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| Image Credit: Tharangini |
The months of September-October elicits great interest among astronomers and amateurs to gaze at the Moon, look for its various facets and capture its intrinsic images in diverse ways. Along with me
is Kantharaj, a fellow enthusiast from ISRO and of course, my friend Tharangini and both of them have captured moon images in its entirety.
In fact, observing the Moon is an annual public outreach program that is sponsored by NASA and other astronomical organizations. They not only encourage lunar observations but also provide understanding and appreciation of the Moon with its connection to planetary science and exploration.
Visible from Planet Earth in different colors and hues at different times, one can just pass difficult times and that too during the Corona Pandemic by just looking at it. Just as we go through many phases in life, this satellite too goes through different phases.
Peering at objects in the sky be it stars; various planets, comets have always been fascinating but for me gazing at the moon in its different phases (full, quarter and crescent) has been a passion. In fact, its
great fun scanning the celestial objects in the Sky but watching the Moon is more interesting as it is the closest astro object to earth, just 3.85 lakh kilometres.
International “Observe the Moon Night’ is done every September and October when the moon is at its first quarter as this is a great time to observe the Moon. When you gaze at the Moon with naked eyes,
what do you see? For many, this too is enjoyable as one can see the dark grey maria (seas) and the more reflective white lunar highlands.
These two contrasts are clearly visible without using any optical
instruments.
In fact, surface features can be distinguished on the Moon with our eyes. Ideally, Moon should not be viewed at its full phase as fewer surface details are visible. Six to nine days past the new moon is the
best time to watch.
As it is – our eyes can easily see the “lunar maria” which is nothing but solidified lava. But these dark spaces on the moon’s disc have to be big to be seen by us – be it Sea of Nectar or Sea of Moisture. It
seems in the olden days; scientists named these dark stretches of lava flows as “mare” which means “sea” in Latin as they mistook them for oceans.
There is a lot of Western and Eastern folklore associated with the moon that identifies mythical images of “moon rabbit/hare but this is nothing but interpretations of dark markings on the near side of the
moon. Now let’s not get into folklore as there are too many fables in Indian (the Jataka tales), Asian (Jade Rabbit) and European tales (witchcraft and wizardry) associated with the moon that has been retold to children since time immemorial.
instruments.
In fact, surface features can be distinguished on the Moon with our eyes. Ideally, Moon should not be viewed at its full phase as fewer surface details are visible. Six to nine days past the new moon is the
best time to watch.
As it is – our eyes can easily see the “lunar maria” which is nothing but solidified lava. But these dark spaces on the moon’s disc have to be big to be seen by us – be it Sea of Nectar or Sea of Moisture. It
seems in the olden days; scientists named these dark stretches of lava flows as “mare” which means “sea” in Latin as they mistook them for oceans.
 |
| Image Credit: Kantharaj |
There is a lot of Western and Eastern folklore associated with the moon that identifies mythical images of “moon rabbit/hare but this is nothing but interpretations of dark markings on the near side of the
moon. Now let’s not get into folklore as there are too many fables in Indian (the Jataka tales), Asian (Jade Rabbit) and European tales (witchcraft and wizardry) associated with the moon that has been retold to children since time immemorial.
 |
| Image Source - NASA, image captured from Galileo Spacecraft |
Apart from these tales, the bright region around ‘Copernicus’ (crater) is clearly visible. So, if you are really interested in studying various features of the moon, on a clear viewing day, look for some other maria, dark spots, lunar impact craters, some range of lunar mountains, etc.
But if you are interested in seeing something more, then definitely you will have to use a binocular or a telescope. Through the binoculars, now you can see some better views and close-ups of the lunar surface that were already visible through the naked eye.
Well, when I was in Delhi, I had many opportunities to do this as also through the telescope in my friend’s place who was an amateur astronomer. Looking at the terrain through the bino, I happily
observed some craters and mountain ridges to my heart’s content. But do not ask me to identify them as it has just slipped my mind.
(More in my second part)
Well, when I was in Delhi, I had many opportunities to do this as also through the telescope in my friend’s place who was an amateur astronomer. Looking at the terrain through the bino, I happily
observed some craters and mountain ridges to my heart’s content. But do not ask me to identify them as it has just slipped my mind.
(More in my second part)
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