Friday, August 22, 2008

22 August 2008

Observing LocationVP
Observational Period0800-0815 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions
Cloud CoverClear
Temperature70°
WindCalm
HumidityHigh
Barometric Pressure30.35" Hg
Steady
Feels LikeMild

It doesn’t feel as humid as the hygrometer says it is. There is a light general haze which must be the cause of the humidity.

TransparencyGood
SeeingI
Instruments Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing PartyCharlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots
ConstellationLeo
CategorySolar
Time
yyyymmdd.hhmm		20080822.0800 EDT
Comments
Distance
Light Time		1.01 AU
8m 25s
Angular Size31' 40.9"
Altitude19.1°
Heliographic Latitude
(B0)		 6.97°
Heliographic Longitude
(L0)		 104.78°
Parallactic Angle
(P)		 18.51°
Carrington rotation number
(CR)		2073

Nothing Seen
The sunspot that appeared yesterday in a photo from Slovenia now appears as plage in the SOHO image and is not referenced at all on Active Regions Explorer.

 Groups SpotsR
North0 0 0
South0 0 0
Total0 0 0
R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

TargetMoon
ConstellationAri
CategoryLunar
Time
yyyymmdd.hhmm		20080822.0800 EDT
Comments
Lunation1059
PhaseWaning Gibbous
Age21d 1h 47m
Distance
Light Time
(from earth)		368,360 km
1.23s
Elongation70.4°
% Illuminated66.9%
Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E)163.2°
Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W)342.2°
Libration in Latitude-6° 31'
Libration in Longitude-3° 33'
Magnitude-10.9
Angular Size32.44'
Altitude48° 29'

Virtual Moon Atlas graphic

The Moon was still high in the sky and there was still enough contrast that I could detect marea naked-eye although I couldn't really make out any shape to identify Mare Imbrium and Oceanus Procelarum that I knew I was seeing.

The Moon hasn't yet reached last quarter yet as it has an obvious bulge of sunlight intruding into the shadow.

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