CarlosEH
Postmaster
Reged: 01/19/05
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Plato (May 3, 2009)
#3082776 - 05/03/09 01:17 PM Attachment (49 downloads)
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I made an observation of Plato and the surrounding region on May 3, 2009 (02:00-04:00 U.T.) using my 9-inch (23-cm) F/13.5 Maksutov-Cassegrain at 352x under average seeing conditions (5/10, with brief moments of 6-7/10). I noted peaked shadows over the floor of Plato (peaks rising up to 1.3 miles (2.1 km) above the crater floor) along with a pair of craterlets ( I noted two to three more craterlets but they were not held steadily). The western section of the this large walled-plain (51.6*N, 9.3*W, 63 miles (101 km) diameter) was brightly lit. The region south of Plato is very complex. Plato was formed approximately 3 billion years ago over the northeastern edge of Mare Imbrium.
A digital image produced using Photoshop CS3.
Links;
http://www.lpod.org/index.php?s=Plato
http://www.lpod.org/cwm/DataStuff/PlatoChanges.htm
Carlos
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Tommy5
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/28/04
Loc: Chicagoland
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: CarlosEH]
#3083302 - 05/03/09 06:35 PM
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Very nice Plato sketch, i really like the jagged mountain shadows graet to see in real life and captured well in your sketch thanks for posting.
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CarlosEH
Postmaster
Reged: 01/19/05
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: Tommy5]
#3083325 - 05/03/09 06:44 PM
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Tommy,
Thank you for the compliment on my Plato observation. I was impressed by the amount of detail visible. The best of luck in your own observations.
Carlos
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cildarith
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/26/04
Loc: San Diego, CA
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: CarlosEH]
#3083361 - 05/03/09 07:02 PM
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Nicely done, Carlos! That one's a keeper, one of your very best. Thanks for sharing it with us. 
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Loc: Utah
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: cildarith]
#3083493 - 05/03/09 08:08 PM
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Love the details of the shadows and crater. I agree with Eric that this is one of your best.
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frank5817
Postmaster
Reged: 06/13/06
Loc: Illinois
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: JayinUT]
#3083636 - 05/03/09 09:33 PM
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Carlos,
Stunning. That is a beautiful sketch of a wonderful target. Catching the shadows long on the crater floor is a real treat to see live and sketched too. Wonderful work, Carlos. 
Frank 
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Uwe Pilz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/16/08
Loc: Leipzig, Germany
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: frank5817]
#3083988 - 05/04/09 01:51 AM
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The shadow details are impressing. Great sketch!
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Tom Machtemes
super member
Reged: 06/09/08
Loc: Evergreen Park, Ill.
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: CarlosEH]
#3084470 - 05/04/09 11:14 AM
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Carlos,
That's a very nice sketch, keep them comming.
Tom
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: Tom Machtemes]
#3084523 - 05/04/09 11:46 AM
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Carlos,
Spectacular sketch of Plato! Fantastic shadow play across the floor. Wonderful catch of the rilles as well. Awesome!
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Jeremy Perez
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/12/04
Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: kraterkid]
#3085031 - 05/04/09 04:20 PM
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Wonderful sketch, Carlos. I think I was looking at Plato close to the same time you were--about 04:00 UT. That's a great rendition of the view.
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: Jeremy Perez]
#3085973 - 05/05/09 03:07 AM
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Carlos,
Absolutely stunning work of art!
I love it.
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mike bacanin
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/19/07
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: rodelaet]
#3086082 - 05/05/09 07:08 AM
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Carlos,
Another very fine sketch which conveys very well the eyepiece view of this wonderful lunar crater.
Mike
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vennard
member
Reged: 12/29/08
Loc: Montana
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: mike bacanin]
#3086206 - 05/05/09 09:17 AM
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Carlos,
You are only getting better and better. In this one you are describing the dimentionality of the view rather than just showing the flat look. Something I sometimes find harder than it looks. Keep them coming.
MikeV
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Sol
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/20/07
Loc: Powys, Wales, UK
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: vennard]
#3086694 - 05/05/09 01:46 PM
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That really is a work of art! Those crater shadows are superbly rendered. Good enough to frame and put on the wall.....
Mark
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CarlosEH
Postmaster
Reged: 01/19/05
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Re: Plato (May 3, 2009)
[Re: vennard]
#3087067 - 05/05/09 06:14 PM
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Thank you all very much for the kind compliments on my Plato observation. Plato is a lunar feature that has always intrigued me, especially the issue of the craterlets visible over the floor. This walled plain has interested many lunar observers since the beginning. Transient Lunar Phenomena (TLP) consisting of flashes and fogs over the floor have been noted over time. Although the floor of Plato is rather flat the scene did elicit an added depth contributed to by the walls and surrounding complex terrain. I noted a complex rille system to the east of Plato that I was unable to complete due to the Moon being blocked by my home.
The best of luck in your own observations of the Moon.
Links;
http://the-moon.wikispaces.com/Plato
http://www.lpod.org/?page_id=632
http://inamidst.com/lights/lunar
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090302-moon-flashes-missions.html
http://www.lunar-captures.com/project_Plato_files/plato_tarvsorbiter.jpg
Carlos
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