frank5817
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Reged: 06/13/06
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Loc: Illinois
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Lunar Crater Moretus
When I think of craters in and around the south polar region of the moon, this is the one that comes to mind first. The lunar excavation I have sketched here is complex crater Moretus (114 kilometers in diameter). Moretus is an Eratostherian age feature with remarkable depth of nearly 4 kilometers from rim to floor. Rising above the center of that floor and casting a long shadow to the base of the east wall is the 2.6 km. central peak reflecting much light to my eye from its mostly shadowed surroundings. The inner terraced walls were gleaming on the eastern side in the setting sunlight and even the glacis of melted eject was eye catching against the surrounding shadowed cratered field of the southern highlands. You cannot look at the moon on a morning like this and not be moved by the beautiful view of the old cratered moon.
Sketching:
For this sketch I used: black Canson paper 12”x 10”, white and black Conte’ pastel pencils, blending stumps. After scanning, Brightness was decreased (-2) and contrast increased (+2) using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.
Telescope: 10 inch f/ 5.7 Dobsonian and 6 mm eyepiece 241x
Date: 7-14-2009, 9:30 - 10:15 UT
Temperature: 15° C (60° F)
clear, calm, low humidity
Seeing: Antoniadi III
Colongitude 177.7°
Lunation 21.8 days
Illumination 58.4 %
Frank McCabe
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my gallery
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cildarith
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Loc: San Diego, CA
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Marvelous sketch and observation report of Moretus, Frank. I especially like your rendition of the central peak and its dagger-like shadow. 
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Eric
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kraterkid
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Spectacular sketch and superb observation report of Moretus Frank!  The detail in the crater walls and glacis is incredible. Fantastic beacon of a central peak rendered, as Eric pointed out, with a "dagger-like shadow". Masterful! 
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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rolandlinda3
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Very nice sketch, and the target was one I set up to get last night but the clouds changed my plans. It was a sight to behold for a few minutes. Glad you got it.
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Roland
Sketches in members galleries: rolandlinda3
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JayinUT
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Reged: 09/19/08
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Loc: Utah
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Nicely done Frank. I agree on the details on the crater and the dagger shadow. I enjoyed examining it.
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Jay in Utah
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frank5817
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Reged: 06/13/06
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Loc: Illinois
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Hey Folks,
Thank you all.  I was out observing just after nightfall for a couple of hours and came indoors to take a break, fell asleep in a chair and fortunately woke up again in time to make a couple of sketches. The view of the southern highlands was great as were the mountains in the northern hemisphere. I was still observing well after sunrise ( very dry air mass overhead).
After posting I see I may have the central peak just a little too large but that is the way I'm going to leave it.
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Eric, Isn't it time for your next Lunar sketch? 
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Rich and Jay, thank you for your kind words of encouragement
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Roland, how disappointing, your take would be wonderful to see. Catch it next lunation.
Frank
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markseibold
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Reged: 01/19/08
Posts: 1086
Loc: Portland Oregon
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Frank
Beautiful sketch!
Aside from your accuracy in observation and rendering in what we term to be a technical work, I think it is just a beautiful work of art! It could be on a museum wall or a back-drop in a science fiction film.
I observed the entire terminator last night in awe from 1:30 ~ 3:30 AM PDT; I wanted to do a sketch of the entire line and all those dramatic craters, like Plato with that long extended 'black needle carater-rim shadow' and others but instead took several photos through the telescope for reference. As dewpoint rose, tired eyes, I could not get all the equipment out to sketch. I may work from memory later and do something in a sketch. The seeing conditions were the best I've seen in years; nearly or at a '10 out of/10 seeing'. I felt sorry for [and yes I know friends] that have never observed these features yet.
I then observed Jupiter and have never seen such detail in the cloud belts. Also an amazing configuration of the moons in perfect mirrored symetry on either side. I will display all this later but cannot get my camera to upload to the computer today. A tripod mounted consumer digital camera over the eyepiece even shows the GRS in a photo I took.
Mark
Edited by markseibold (07/16/09 01:06 AM)
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Erix
Toad Lily
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Loc: Ohio, USA
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Superb rendering of a very dramatic and difficult crater to sketch!
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Erika
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Tommy5
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Great sketch of this old crator the central peal looks almost 3-D, thanks for sharing.
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frank5817
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Reged: 06/13/06
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Loc: Illinois
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Mark, Erica, Tommy5,
Thank you all.
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Mark, The waning moon in the early hours of the morning is really something this time of year.
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Erika, It took 3 times to get the shape I wanted and I did not go out beyond the crater very far. That Canson paper erases nicely.
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T5, I've been looking in other forums to see if anyone got a picture the morning I made the sketch. Will I see you Friday night?
Frank
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Special Ed
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Wonderful rendering, Frank. The central peak is amazing. The extreme southerly libration gave you a much different view of Moretus than normal, I think. This crater is my idea of what a lunar crater ought to look like. 
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Michael Rosolina
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frank5817
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Loc: Illinois
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Michael,
Thank you much. I agree with you about Moretus being ideally positioned and demonstrating all the features of a complex crater.
Frank
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 WadeVC
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Reged: 12/02/05
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Loc: Lodi, California,
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Frank,
When I think of or even observe the Moon, I always think of the magnificent way in which you capture this close neighbor so beautifully on paper...and this one, my friend, is absolutely stunning!
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frank5817
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Reged: 06/13/06
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Loc: Illinois
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Wade,
Thank you for the nice words.
I'm looking forward to seeing some sketching from Lodi, Ca.
Frank
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my gallery
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Tom Machtemes
super member
Reged: 06/09/08
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Loc: Evergreen Park, Ill.
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Frank,
Nice sketch. 
,
Tom
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CarlosEH
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Reged: 01/19/05
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Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Frank,
An excellent observation of Moretus. You have recorded the central peak, terraced walls, and complex surrounding terrain very nicely. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Carlos
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frank5817
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Loc: Illinois
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Tom and Carlos,
Thank you both
Frank
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rodelaet
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Frank,
Beautiful sketch, my friend!
These shadows look so dramatic. Wow!
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Rony
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frank5817
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Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4089
Loc: Illinois
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Hi Rony,
Thank you much. It was a fun sketch under good conditions. I hope you are getting some quality time at the eyepiece.
Frank
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my gallery
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mickmrn1
member
Reged: 05/18/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Mesa, Arizona
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Very nice one Frank! I like the shadows and contrast in this one!
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Michelle D.
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4089
Loc: Illinois
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Michelle,
Thank you. When you get some time go out and have a look at the old moon.
Frank
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