frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4511
Loc: Illinois
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The Highlands Between Grimaldi and Mersenius
With the moon at nearly full phase, the sunrise illumination was approaching the western limb on this evening of observing and sketching. The region I focused in on includes the highlands just beyond the southwestern portion of Oceanus Procellarum between the Grimaldi basin and crater Mersenius. Both of these features are outside the boundaries of this sketch. Normally in this light I can hold the linear Rille Sirsalis in view continuously, but on this night it was visible only intermittently. Twin craters Sirsalis (43 km.) and Sirsalis A (49 km.) were clearly visible with their bright rims and dark shadowed floors. It is clear from some light reaching the floor of Sirsalis A that Siralis is the deeper of the two.
Lava flooded Billy, an Imbrium crater at 46 kilometers is separated from slightly younger crater Hansteen (45 km.) by Mons Hansteen. Beyond these features the remains of Siralis E a ghostly 72 kilometer crater remnant was visible in the morning sunlight.
Sketching:
For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, 8”x 11”, white and black Conte’pastel pencils and a blending stump. Brightness was slightly decreased (-5) and contrast increased (+6) after scanning using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.
Telescope: 10 inch f/5.7 Dobsonian and 9mm eyepiece 161x
Date: 3-20-2008 4:50 - 6:00 UT
Temperature: -2°C (28°F)
clear, calm
Seeing: Antoniadi III
Co longitude: 66.9°
Lunation: 12.5 days
Illumination: 97.5 %
Phase: 18.4°
Observing Location: +41°37' +87° 47'
Frank McCabe 
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my gallery
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TheChemist
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/08/06
Posts: 878
Loc: England
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Frank - an exceptional, curvaceous and dramatic sketch, and where the ghostly region just beyond the terminator, though invisible, still has immense 'presence'. A very powerful drawing 
Happy Easter to you (and to all you fine folk here at CN)! In the UK it is forecast for  and  on Easter Sunday - brrrrrrrrr!!
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Sally
My CN Gallery
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greenskeeper
member
Reged: 10/20/07
Posts: 38
Loc: B'Ham, AL
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Nice job Picasso!
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***Greenskeeper***
Zhumell 10" dob
Meade ETX-90 Mak
Series 4000 set of EP's
More stuff than I need!
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4511
Loc: Illinois
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Sally and Rick,
Thank you both for your compliments on my sketch. Looks like I got it done just before the winter snows returned to our area. Some folks just north of me woke up to 12 inches of snow yesterday. We got less. It is snowing again today, but spring is near.
Sally, Happy Easter to you and yours and put another log on the fire. 
Frank
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my gallery
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CarlosEH
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/19/05
Posts: 4622
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Frank,
An excellent observation of the highlands between Grimaldi and Mersenius. You have captured this region very nicely. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Carlos
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4511
Loc: Illinois
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Carlos,
Thank you very much for your kind words.
Enjoy your Easter Sunday tomorrow.
Frank
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my gallery
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rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 2309
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Nice catch, Frank. Enjoyed the scene. Roland
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Roland
Sketches in members galleries: rolandlinda3
Inspirational stories/sketches at:
www.christworksministries.org
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VikingRaider
member
Reged: 01/29/08
Posts: 52
Loc: Haslet, Texas
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Very nice Frank! I love seeing the tips of the craters already "inside" the terminator.
VR
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70mm Meade AZ, the Wal-Mart Special (2008)
113mm Tasco 11TR (ca. 1994)(UPGRADES IN PROGRESS)
60mm Bushnell Sky Chief I (ca. 1988)
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4511
Loc: Illinois
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VR,
Thank you. I am sometimes torn as to what I should sketch. On this evening the choice was easy.
Frank
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my gallery
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 3064
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Frank,
A very beautiful sketch of the Highlands!
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Rony
My Astronomical Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
Callibrate your Monitor with this little strip.
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4511
Loc: Illinois
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Rony,
Thank you.
Frank
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my gallery
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