TomN
sage
Reged: 01/14/09
Posts: 259
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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
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Amateur Astronomer since 1962.
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 574
Loc: Northern Arizona
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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 .
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
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desertstars
Please stand by...
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 34547
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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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.
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Tom W.
Collinder's Catalog
Jewels in Dark Settings
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Matt Wastell
super member
Reged: 07/05/09
Posts: 136
Loc: Paddington, Brisbane, Australi...
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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.
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Look up, look good!
http://www.freewebs.com/mattwastellastroimages/index.htm
Matt
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Swamp Fox
super member
Reged: 12/26/06
Posts: 121
Loc: Goose Creek, South Carolina
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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!
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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
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
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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!
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- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
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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?
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- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
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markgliderpilot
member
Reged: 09/01/08
Posts: 17
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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.
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jim_m
member
Reged: 10/25/08
Posts: 51
Loc: Virginia, USA
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V M A Pro has my vote, all the "bells & whistles" you could
want.
Jim
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TomN
sage
Reged: 01/14/09
Posts: 259
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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?
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Amateur Astronomer since 1962.
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 574
Loc: Northern Arizona
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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 . 
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
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jim_m
member
Reged: 10/25/08
Posts: 51
Loc: Virginia, USA
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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
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Blind-Cyclops
sage
Reged: 11/28/05
Posts: 488
Loc: Kitchener, ON, Canada
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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
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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.
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TomN
sage
Reged: 01/14/09
Posts: 259
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Just ordered that S&T Atlas. Thanks Duncan!
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Amateur Astronomer since 1962.
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bsim
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 1047
Loc: New York City
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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
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RobertED
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/11/03
Posts: 1188
Loc: Johnston, RI
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Firefly books puts out a nice Lunar Atlas..."New Atlas of the Moon" by Legault and Brunier.
I highly recommend it!!  
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dan777
member
Reged: 11/16/07
Posts: 79
Loc: Michigan
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I also like Alan Chu's "Photographic Moon Book." It's digital, but it's free. http://www.alanchuhk.com/Moonbook_3v3.pdf
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Orion XT8i
Tasco 60 mm refractor
Nikon 8x21 binoculars
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revans
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 1510
Loc: Fitchburg, MA
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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.
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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
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
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And don't forget the venerable old Hatfield Moon Atlas. There's something about that one that keeps drawing me back.
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- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
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revans
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 1510
Loc: Fitchburg, MA
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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/
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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
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