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Alachua Astronomy Club, Inc. |  Member Astronomical League |
 Member International Dark-Sky Association |
| Lunar
Observing Group (LOG) |
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| 29°39' N, 82°21' W Altitude: 50 Meters (more or less) |
Updated Aug. 6, 2010 | ||
| (Click logo for home page) | Founded: September 1987 |
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"Many look, few observe." - Harold Hill 1) Encourage and support the serious study of the Moon. 2) Promote direct visual observations of the Moon. 3) Use technology to enhance, not replace, visual observations of the Moon. 4) Develop a core group of dedicated, knowledgeable and experienced lunar observers for effective public outreach in anticipation of the "New Golden Age of Lunar Exploration". 5) Support the AAC’s Goals and Objectives. Based on a growing member interest in lunar observing and an awareness of the renaissance in lunar exploration now upon us, in 2007, the Alachua Astronomy Club initiated the LOG (Lunar Observing Group). The LOG seeks to help interested amateurs move beyond simple “gee-whiz” lunar observing to a more serious and research-based scientific approach, encouraging active observing to decipher and more fully appreciate the moon’s geologic history.  Lunar Observing Group: More than "gee-whiz" observing! A typical slide from the presentations given during LOG Sessions. slide credit: Howard Cohen The first LOG meeting and observing session was held on November 20, 2007 – focusing on the giant lunar impact basin Mare Imbrium. Two LOG Sessions were planned for 2008. The first, held in March, was a great success. Unfortunately, weather and other circumstances caused the November LOG Session to be postponed until January of 2009.  Participants of the January 7, 2009 Lunar Observing Group. The participants are too numerous to list here, but special thanks is given to the gracious hostess, Marian Cohen, who does not appear in the photo. photo credit: Don Loftus In 2009, the LOG held its first observing session on January 7th. Outside, under a waxing gibbous moon, 26 participants viewed a large-screen Power Point presentation on the lunar features Messier and Messier A, Copernicus, Plato and Bullialdus. Afterwards, 11 telescopes and a video feed image of the Moon were available for participants to view live, the lunar features discussed in the presentations.  Lunar Observing Group chair Bob O'Connell, begins a presentation on the lunar crater Plato, during the January 2009 LOG Session. Observers were able to follow along through telescopes. photo credit: Don Loftus Beginning in 2009, LOG Sessions, weather and circumstances permittling, were planned roughly once per quarter. Currently, three LOG Sessions are planned for 2010. Keep checking the LOG Sessions calendar periodically for current LOG Sessions and events. A Richer Lunar Observing Experience Most observers are initially fascinated by views of the Moon through backyard scopes. But after awhile, the "gee whiz" experience fades and amateurs move on to other astronomical vistas. Some amateurs, however, find the Moon more interesting with each successful observing session. It seems these lunar observers have discovered that there is far more to the Moon than initially meets the eye. What seems to sustain a life-long interest in lunar observing is a knowledge of the geologic processes that formed the features so easily seen through small telescopes. An observer armed with even a basic knowledge of lunar geology who takes the time to interpret lunar features and ask "why is that there?" will come away from that observing session with a richer experience and a deeper understanding of Earth's nearest neighbor. With this in mind, the Alachua Astronomy Club's Lunar Observing Group presents a series of four articles on the geologic processes that formed our Moon. The LOG wishes to thank the journal Selenology, of the American Lunar Society, and author Eric Douglass, for permission to reprint these articles on our website. At this time, only the first article is posted along with a fill-in-the-blank test. The answer key is a separate download, so "No cheating!" In the weeks ahead, the remaining articles of the series will be posted. Please take a look at this first article, which focuses on impact craters, and use it to go to the telescope with questions the next time you can observer the Moon. Please let me know what you think. Geologic Processes on the Moon Part I - Answer Key (DOC) Also, please explore these links to the American Lunar Society and eSelenology. Walter H. Haas, Founder and Director Emeritus, the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (A.L.P.O.) Bob O'Connell Chair, Lunar Observing Group Introduction to Lunar Lists - Bob O'Connell, and The Lunar 100 - a Reference to the Charles A. Wood’s Lunar 100 List - Howard Cohen "It was a dark and stormy night..." Really, it was! Tuesday, April 2, 2009 was not the best night for lunar observing in Gainesville, Florida, but six AAC members attended the LOG Session, hosted by Rich and Millie Russin. Skies were promising before sundown, but heavy clouds, rain, and a tornado warning, moved in as night fell. The weather, however, did not dampen the LOG Session, and attendees spent several hours discussing the pros and cons of undertaking lunar-list observing programs. LOG chair Bob O'Connell began with a PowerPoint presentation on the Astronomical Leaques' Lunar Club and Lunar II Club awards. The discussion also covered a variety of popular lunar maps and atlases.  LOG Session, April 2, 2009. From left: Chuck Broward, Bob O'Connell, Howard Cohen, Sandon Flowers, Rich Russin and Don Loftus stand amongst their telescopes, which got very little use. photo credit: Rich Russin  Chuck Broward, Don Loftus and Sandon Flowers waiting for either clear skies, or a tornado. photo credit: Rich Russin
photo credits: Rich Russin The tour de force of the evening was Howard Cohen's presentation. Following Chuck Wood's lead, he has compiled the entire Lunar 100 into a multi-faceted PowerPoint presentation. It is designed to be used on a laptop, at the telescope, as an observing tool, and will be field tested before deciding to make it available to AAC club members.  Howard Cohen, Astronomy Professor Emeritus, University of Florida, debuts his extensive Power Point presentation on Chuck Wood’s Lunar 100. photo credit: Rich Russin  The Lunar 100, item #69 - Copernicus secondary craters. The feature reveals its secrets under the expert direction of Howard Cohen. photo credit: Rich Russin LOG Sessions: 2007 and 2008 Coming soon - LOG Sessions: 2009  A paper on Transient Lunar Phenomena, focusing on the 1963 events observed in and around the Aristarchus Plateau. The paper is currently password protected, and for educational purposes only. Please contact Bob O'Connell for the password. Like that background image of the moon? It's part of the Consolidated Lunar Atlas by Gerald P. Kuiper, Ewen A. Whitaker, Robert G. Strom, John W. Fountain, and Stephen M. Larson. A digital version of the atlas is available online at Lunar and Planetary Institute. Click here to see the original, high resolution image. We also suggest you take a look at LPOD lunar photo of the day. Chuck Wood has composed an attractive, easy to navigate web site, and collected a truly stunning archive of lunar images from observers, astrographers, and photographers, all around the world. If you are interested in the moon, lunar observing, or lunar imaging, it is a must! |
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