TomN
sage
Reged: 01/14/09
Posts: 260
|
|
With a new 5-inch refractor coming, I am thinking I would like to get more involved in lunar observing. I'm an experienced observer but not necessarily in lunar. I'm looking for your recommendations on a good field usable lunar atlas that will hold my interest for awhile. Appreciate any input. Oh, and do I need a neutral density filter?? Thanks! Tom
--------------------
Amateur Astronomer since 1962.
|
starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 577
Loc: Northern Arizona
|
|
Vitual Moon Atlas is a free download , & you can print nightly charts .
The ND filter will come in handy for anytime your not viewing the crescent phase .
--------------------
LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
|
desertstars
Please stand by...
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 34547
Loc: Tucson, AZ
|
|
I'll second that recommendation. The Virtual Moon Atlas is probably the most versatile lunar reference currently available.
For something more portable, and to get you started since it sounds like your just getting started into moonwatching, the S&T Field Map of the Moon is hard to beat.
--------------------
Tom W.
Collinder's Catalog
Jewels in Dark Settings
|
Matt Wastell
super member
Reged: 07/05/09
Posts: 136
Loc: Paddington, Brisbane, Australi...
|
|
Hi Tom
I reckon the best tools are the ones you use the most - the VMA is great - my favourite Lunar tool is an old metal globe that is small but well labelled - I think it is from the late 60's.
--------------------
Look up, look good!
http://www.freewebs.com/mattwastellastroimages/index.htm
Matt
|
Swamp Fox
super member
Reged: 12/26/06
Posts: 121
Loc: Goose Creek, South Carolina
|
|
I agree with the other's recommendations. I’ve been observing quite a while, and also have just begun to concentrate on the moon. I use VMA to plan my night’s observations, and then use the S&T chart in my backyard. I live near the coast with high humidity so the laminated chart is great!
--------------------
Tele Vue 102
Tele Vue 35mm Pan; 22mm T4 Nagler; 17mm T4 Nagler; 12mm T4 Nagler; 10mm Radian; 2x Powermate
Meade ETX 125PE
Meade 4000 26mm SP; 24.5mm SWA; 15mm SP; 14mm UWA; 9.7mm SP; 8.8mm UWA; #140 2x Barlow
|
Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
|
|
The S&T/Rukl foldout atlas is numero uno for me. Especially with a 5-incher, the scale is perfect. VMA is great and will show you what things will look like, but the S&T map is *it* for actual observing. Only about $10, too!
--------------------
- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
|
Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
|
|
Quote:
my favourite Lunar tool is an old metal globe that is small but well labelled - I think it is from the late 60's.
I think I have one of those! About 6" in diameter, and spins on a tilted axis like a regular globe?
--------------------
- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
|
markgliderpilot
member
Reged: 09/01/08
Posts: 17
|
|
Rukl's atlas is very good and certainly my favourite but seems to be out of print and therefore attracting high prices on e-bay. I have an iphone with moon maps, lunar orbiter charts and starmap software installed that saves taking multiple books outside.
|
jim_m
member
Reged: 10/25/08
Posts: 51
Loc: Virginia, USA
|
|
V M A Pro has my vote, all the "bells & whistles" you could
want.
Jim
|
TomN
sage
Reged: 01/14/09
Posts: 260
|
|
Quote:
V M A Pro has my vote, all the "bells & whistles" you could
want.
There appears to be three versions. Which should I download?
--------------------
Amateur Astronomer since 1962.
|
starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 577
Loc: Northern Arizona
|
|
That's pretty much a personal choice . I think I just loaded the standard version & it does everything I need it to do . I don't have a real big computer so I tend to stay with the smaller downloads if it does the job .
I also use an older version of Stellarium partly for that reason but mostly because I actually like it better than the newer version . 
--------------------
LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
|
jim_m
member
Reged: 10/25/08
Posts: 51
Loc: Virginia, USA
|
|
Hi Tom,
The "Pro" seems to have more of everythimg than the other 2.
I like the little(2 mile) craters, many of these do not have names in the lesser versiond of the software.
Jim
|
Blind-Cyclops
sage
Reged: 11/28/05
Posts: 488
Loc: Kitchener, ON, Canada
|
|
Hello Tom,
I find for field use the Sky & Telescope's "Field Map of the Moon is great.
-- laminated so no worries about dew or peanut butter.
-- can be folded for each quadrant of the Moon.
-- has a list of approximately 1,000 features.
-- comes in two versions -- standard for eyes and binoculars and reversed (mirror image) for Refractors and Maksutovs.
The S&K web site shows it at $10.95 each, plus shipping.
Cheers, Duncan
--------------------
Clear skies...
Duncan 
"Watch the skies, everywhere! Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!"
-- Closing line in movie spoken by newspaper report Ned "Scotty" Scott (Douglas Spencer) in the Sci-Fi movie
"The Thing From Another World", RKO Radio Pictures, 1951.
Antares (refractor) 127mm f/6.45. w/2-spd Crayford
Orion (Maksutov) 150mm f/12 w/2" EP adapter
Giro 3 (twin), 18" pier, EQ5 tripod.
Garrett 20x80mm, 410 head, 055 tripod.
|
TomN
sage
Reged: 01/14/09
Posts: 260
|
|
Just ordered that S&T Atlas. Thanks Duncan!
--------------------
Amateur Astronomer since 1962.
|
bsim
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 1047
Loc: New York City
|
|
Everyone should have a Rukl Moon Atlas or two. Amazon lists them for hundreds of dollars, but here's a tip. Buy the first edition issued by Astronomy. I have the S&T edition and the differences are minor at best. Definitely not worth the huge premium. Recently I picked up the Astronomy edition for $38. Amazon lists a copy for $44.98.
web page
|
RobertED
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/11/03
Posts: 1192
Loc: Johnston, RI
|
|
Firefly books puts out a nice Lunar Atlas..."New Atlas of the Moon" by Legault and Brunier.
I highly recommend it!!  
|
dan777
member
Reged: 11/16/07
Posts: 79
Loc: Michigan
|
|
I also like Alan Chu's "Photographic Moon Book." It's digital, but it's free. http://www.alanchuhk.com/Moonbook_3v3.pdf
--------------------
Orion XT8i
Tasco 60 mm refractor
Nikon 8x21 binoculars
|
revans
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 1513
Loc: Fitchburg, MA
|
|
Mostly I use Rukl and the Virtual Moon Atlas. However, two other atlases deserve mention. The first, which is excellent, is available used on Amazon.com and was published in 1969. It is the Times Atlas of the Moon. It is hard to find a better atlas than that. The second is probably still in print... it is the Lunar Orbiter Photographic Atlas of the Near Side of the Moon edited by Charles Byrne and is published by Springer.
--------------------
Rick Evans
http://www.freewebs.com/revans_01420/
"The universe is there for us to see, but it cannot be understood without learning its language -- mathematics." Galileo Galilei
|
Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
|
|
And don't forget the venerable old Hatfield Moon Atlas. There's something about that one that keeps drawing me back.
--------------------
- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
|
revans
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 1513
Loc: Fitchburg, MA
|
|
Yes... and also the Consolidated Lunar Atlas which is long out of print and any remaining copies are extremely costly... but it can be found here on line for free:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/cla/
--------------------
Rick Evans
http://www.freewebs.com/revans_01420/
"The universe is there for us to see, but it cannot be understood without learning its language -- mathematics." Galileo Galilei
|
Blind-Cyclops
sage
Reged: 11/28/05
Posts: 488
Loc: Kitchener, ON, Canada
|
|
Hello Tom,
You may want to take a look at this web site too...
http://www.lunarrepublic.com/atlas/index.shtml
It seems to be very good for an online computer based reference.
Hold you mouse over various features and the names and sizes appear.
--------------------
Clear skies...
Duncan
"Watch the skies, everywhere! Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!"
-- Closing line in movie spoken by newspaper report Ned "Scotty" Scott (Douglas Spencer) in the Sci-Fi movie
"The Thing From Another World", RKO Radio Pictures, 1951.
Antares (refractor) 127mm f/6.45. w/2-spd Crayford
Orion (Maksutov) 150mm f/12 w/2" EP adapter
Giro 3 (twin), 18" pier, EQ5 tripod.
Garrett 20x80mm, 410 head, 055 tripod.
|
starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 577
Loc: Northern Arizona
|
|
Quote:
Hello Tom,
You may want to take a look at this web site too...
http://www.lunarrepublic.com/atlas/index.shtml
It seems to be very good for an online computer based reference.
Hold you mouse over various features and the names and sizes appear.
Very cool Duncan ! Thanks for posting ! I'll ad that to my favorites .
BTW hows the weather in Kitchener ? My family is all from there , then they moved to the States & I came along about a month later . I guess that makes me a "Dually" . eh ?
--------------------
LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
|
Blind-Cyclops
sage
Reged: 11/28/05
Posts: 488
Loc: Kitchener, ON, Canada
|
|
Wellll howdeee naaaybor, ! ! !
By chance... there wouldn't be a spare corner of the pasture down your way for me to sit-a-spell and look at the stars and moon... would there... would there... huh... huh... ???? (perddee pleeze!)
LOL
The weather last winter was totally busted -- only 3-4 night out of the whole winter were observing nights. Come spring, half the club couldn't spell "sky," much less "as-stron-nom-mee." Finding and naming constellations and stars... ? ...forget it. However, most of us have recovered just in time for another winter... Many folks here have lots of stuff crossed already -- fingers, toes, arms, legs, braided hair, beards and long upper-lip-hair-fuzz, etc.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working too well. You may have to mail us an astronomy dictionary come spring...
(ever bump into David Levy [another Canadian] in your travels down those long dusty roads or marshmallow roasts on mountain tops with your scopes?)
Cheers
--------------------
Clear skies...
Duncan
"Watch the skies, everywhere! Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!"
-- Closing line in movie spoken by newspaper report Ned "Scotty" Scott (Douglas Spencer) in the Sci-Fi movie
"The Thing From Another World", RKO Radio Pictures, 1951.
Antares (refractor) 127mm f/6.45. w/2-spd Crayford
Orion (Maksutov) 150mm f/12 w/2" EP adapter
Giro 3 (twin), 18" pier, EQ5 tripod.
Garrett 20x80mm, 410 head, 055 tripod.
|
starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 577
Loc: Northern Arizona
|
|
Yep ! ...The southwest has got to have some of the darkest , cleanest skies that one could grab . High desert IMO is the best . A little altitude & an arid atmosphere . Haven't run into Levy yet . Maybe some day . I'd probably have to go down south to run into him . I think he likes it down around Jack Newtons' place .
Cheers
Dave
--------------------
LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
|
Phred Smith
member
Reged: 07/20/09
Posts: 17
|
|
I've been looking for a good atlas to use at the telescope and havn't found one yet. Rukl's is a great atlas but difficult to use in the field as it does not lay flat.
I decided to make my own using the Consolidated Lunar Atlas Images available online. I hope to have it available for download/printing by Jan 1 2010.
Here's the low-res version of what I have so far. 76 images hand stitched together.
http://www.astronomylogs.com/CLAMosaicLR.jpg
The hi-res image is 43.5"x43.5" at 300 dpi. It's also a little over 3 GB. At that size I won't be able to offer it for download on my website
|
auriga
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 03/02/06
Posts: 794
|
|
Quote:
I've been looking for a good atlas to use at the telescope and havn't found one yet. Rukl's is a great atlas but difficult to use in the field as it does not lay flat.
I decided to make my own using the Consolidated Lunar Atlas Images available online. I hope to have it available for download/printing by Jan 1 2010.
Here's the low-res version of what I have so far. 76 images hand stitched together.
http://www.astronomylogs.com/CLAMosaicLR.jpg
The hi-res image is 43.5"x43.5" at 300 dpi. It's also a little over 3 GB. At that size I won't be able to offer it for download on my website
Hi,
I like best the Rukl maps in the Collins Atlas of the Sky (Harper Collins, publisher. Storm Dunlop, author). Rukl did the moon maps.
A convenent 9 x 11 size book. with 16 large detailed maps by Rukl. I like it much better than the Rukl Atlas since there are fewer maps and so it's easier to know where you are on the moon. Perhaps a very advanced lunar observer might prefer the Rukl Atlas itself.
Opposite each moon map is a reversed version to match the view through SCTs and through refractors that use diagonals.
The book also contains fine large deep sky charts, to mag. 7.5 , by Wil Tirion, one for each constellation, and also large overall sky maps, also by Tiron.
A great beautiful hardcover book for $30. available often at overstock sale for $15. Somehow I wound up with three.
By far the best book for understanding what you are seeing on the moon is by the Sky & Telescope columnist Charles Wood: The Modern Moon: A Personal View (Sky Publishing). Wood is a lunar geologist who knows what he is talking about. He gives the big picture conceptually as well as giving details, and he has a charming writing style.
Bill Meyers
|
Carl Kolchak
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/02/06
Posts: 546
Loc: Northeast, Florida
|
|
Bill Meyers said:
Quote:
By far the best book for understanding what you are seeing on the moon is by the Sky & Telescope columnist Charles Wood: The Modern Moon: A Personal View (Sky Publishing). Wood is a lunar geologist who knows what he is talking about. He gives the big picture conceptually as well as giving details, and he has a charming writing style.
Bill is absolutely correct. After I read Woods book I felt as though I knew what I was looking at much better. As I read his book I had Rukl's atlas with me and matched what I was reading about with what I was seeing in the atlas. Great experience and recommend everyone try it.
peace & clear skies,
--------------------
Richard H.
Antares 105mm f/9.5 Elite Series Refractor
AstroTelescopes 102mm f/7 Refractor
Orion ShortTube 90mm f/5.6 Refractor
Meade Model 300 80mm f/15 Refractor
Tasco Cosmic 6TE-5 50mm f/12 Refractor
Orion SkyView Pro 8" Intelliscope
Orion Scenix 10x50 Binoculars
Zhumell SuperGiant 20x80 binoculars
NightSky Journal
|
Phred Smith
member
Reged: 07/20/09
Posts: 17
|
|
Thanks Bill, I didn't know about the Collins Atlas. It's on order now from B&N.
I still think I'm going to complete my Lunar Atlas. I'm having to much fun to stop at this point.
Phred
|
deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2926
|
|
Quote:
Vitual Moon Atlas is a free download , & you can print nightly charts .
The ND filter will come in handy for anytime your not viewing the crescent phase .
Since there is no need to preserve dark adaptation, you can just fire your computer up full blast and stare at it. VMA is probably as useful as any astro program ever written. While you are gazing, you can learn about the geology with the overlays. Really fantastic.
-drl
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: 