51 replies to this topic

[Pidaddy13]

I purchased your Volume 1 and am eagerly awaiting volume 2.  I was wondering if you had ever viewed or seen reference to a feature that I noticed just next to Piccolomini in the Southern Hemisphere. I noticed it in a picture I took 3/15 of the 7 day waxing phase  The crater Neander appears to sit atop or inside a feature that I call JanisBird (after my wife).  Have you ever seen this described or shown before?  It is obviously something like the lunar X as later phases do not show it as well.

 

Thanks

Daniel Hall 

[Starman1]

How are libration zones handled?

[AstronomyFred]

Hi Daniel,

 

Thank you for you kind words!

Volume 2 is in progress, I am about 25% ready with volume 2 as we speak.

 

On your image I do see what you are referring to with Jani's Bird.

I have not observed this myself to date, nor did I know of it.

I did look in Luna Cognita, volume 1, on page 9-8 the crater Neander is described, but also no mention of the bird like 'feature'.

 

Thanks for bringing this up, it is always interesting to share such observations and it's great fun to hunt down these pareidoliae.

 

Clear Skies!

 

Fred

[Pidaddy13]

Fred,

 

I also looked in Luna Cognita (a great resource!) and saw nothing.

 

I really like format of your book and the mirrored maps.

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

Daniel Hall (another couple of craters next to each other are "Daniell" and "Hall", up by "Posidonius" --no relation)

Edited by Pidaddy13, 20 April 2024 - 08:46 PM.

[AstronomyFred]

How are libration zones handled?

 

Hi Don, 

 

Sorry I missed answering you!

There are presently no Liberation zones in the book. 

Perhaps a good idea to include these. Will take this on my list!

 

Clear Skies,

 

Fred

[AstronomyFred]

Helle Everyone,

 

Just want to share an update on the progress of Volume 2, Southern Hemisphere; I have currently completed 21 main maps and 3 detail maps.

This leaves me with 17 main maps to go.

 

I'm more or less on schedule to get finished by the end of the year, but there is quite some work left to be done of course..

 

The clouds seem to all have set up shop above my home, so all of you must have been having great clear skies! 

 

Fred

[harpo80]

Excellent, thank you for the update!

[EsaT]

I'm more or less on schedule to get finished by the end of the year, but there is quite some work left to be done of course..

 

The clouds seem to all have set up shop above my home, so all of you must have been having great clear skies! 

Well, doesn't the work efficiency improve when closing deadline?

Or was it that that doing the last 10% of task takes 90% of time consumed be the task...

 

Actually this July has been the cloudiest and rainiest in long long time and got first real sunny days this week.

Though still no real thunderstorms even in "neighbourhood" unlike before Euro. (currency)
 

 

Would be good to add link also to Amazon.de for the book:

https://www.amazon.d...uct/B0CQJDW2HG/

[Starman1]

Don't forget the libration maps in Volume 2.

[AstronomyFred]

Well, doesn't the work efficiency improve when closing deadline?

Or was it that that doing the last 10% of task takes 90% of time consumed be the task...

 

Actually this July has been the cloudiest and rainiest in long long time and got first real sunny days this week.

Though still no real thunderstorms even in "neighbourhood" unlike before Euro. (currency)
 

 

Would be good to add link also to Amazon.de for the book:

https://www.amazon.d...uct/B0CQJDW2HG/

 

Thanks for adding the Link Esa!

Indeed I hope that I will increase efficiency for the second half... The best work is always done under pressure! 

 

It has been quite rainy here too, after a few years of very dry summers, this one really overcompensates.... But it's good for nature I keep saying to myself..

 

Hope you'll have some nice clear skies soon.

 

Fred

[AstronomyFred]

Don't forget the libration maps in Volume 2.

No worries Don, working on it.

 

This is the part where I think I will deviate from the Rukl numbering, I have a little plan... 

 

Clear Skies,

 

Fred

[PEterW]

Be interesting to see a sample of the libration to see how best to present it, as different charts do it differently and so e are easier to use at the scope.

Peter

[EsaT]

No worries Don, working on it.

 

This is the part where I think I will deviate from the Rukl numbering, I have a little plan...

Be interesting to see a sample of the libration to see how best to present it, as different charts do it differently and so e are easier to use at the scope.

Sky&Telescope's Field Map of the Moon has superb "semi-perspective" view of libration zones:

 

Overhead view is simply extremely hard to relate to what you actually see.

And full Earth perspective view has features too squished to be easy to "read".

[PEterW]

Just had another look, yes I agree those are very good, especially if you go a “little beyond” the max libration, so things are easier to make out. I’ve been using other moon charts, as the S&T scale is small (which isn’t so much of a hindrance when looking at the limb).

Peter

[AstronomyFred]

Hi Esa,

Hi Peter,

 

Indeed this is the idea I have.

I have some technological challenges to manage this, but the idea is to show the libration areas of Rükl but with perspective (Rükl has a top down approach on his libration zones, whereas he has a perspective approach to the "normal" limb). The perspective view will have as an effect that the outer most craters are less visible, but more like what one would see in a telescope. 

 

The limitations are that in reality each degree of libration will have a slightly different perspective, the book can only show one. Using a top down one has a better overview as a map, but it does not compare well to a/any view in a telescope.

 

I also have another few ideas to put as a cherry on top, but will leave that for later to share (if it works out that is...).

 

Clear skies!

 

Fred

[Starman1]

Hi Esa,

Hi Peter,

 

Indeed this is the idea I have.

I have some technological challenges to manage this, but the idea is to show the libration areas of Rükl but with perspective (Rükl has a top down approach on his libration zones, whereas he has a perspective approach to the "normal" limb). The perspective view will have as an effect that the outer most craters are less visible, but more like what one would see in a telescope. 

 

The limitations are that in reality each degree of libration will have a slightly different perspective, the book can only show one. Using a top down one has a better overview as a map, but it does not compare well to a/any view in a telescope.

 

I also have another few ideas to put as a cherry on top, but will leave that for later to share (if it works out that is...).

 

Clear skies!

 

Fred

The obvious answer is to show maximum libration in perspective.  That will match what you see, but not every libration.

I agree the top-down orientation has little to do with what you see, though it does help identify craters seen at very low angles.

[AstronomyFred]

The obvious answer is to show maximum libration in perspective.  That will match what you see, but not every libration.

I agree the top-down orientation has little to do with what you see, though it does help identify craters seen at very low angles.

Fully agree Don, this is the plan. 

[Simoes Pedro]

This looks excellent. Congratulations.

[AstronomyFred]

Dear all,

 

There is some exciting news regarding my Moon Atlas Project:

 

I have recently signed a publishing agreement with Springer to publish the atlas! 

 

I have been fortunate to have received a lot of feedback from many of you, with a lot of great ideas and an opportunity to improve where needed. From all this feedback I have begun to realise that I am not a publishing expert and that there is a good reason this is a profession on itself; as an amateur one man show I could only bring this Atlas so far.

 

With a professional publishing house such as Springer (the ‘home’ of Luna Cognita…) supporting the project, there will be many advantages.

 

First of all the continuity of the availability will be much better secured as this no longer depends on myself alone and the availability would also be much wider than only our big friendly online shop. On top of this, there would be a wealth of experience in putting together books, meaning the book would benefit from a professionalism in the editing and publishing activities; the quality of the publication would improve a lot with this.

 

There is one major change: the Atlas will be published as one volume for both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

 

Currently the Northern Hemisphere is still available, but I will stop selling this book by the end of the month. I do not find it fair for potential new users to sell the northern Hemisphere to them when I know there will not be a southern hemisphere book and the complete new atlas will come out in the near future.

 

I am excited about this new development and am confident that it will benefit all users of the atlas.

 

Clear skies!

 

Fred

 

 

[eyeoftexas]

Dear all,

 

There is some exciting news regarding my Moon Atlas Project:

 

I have recently signed a publishing agreement with Springer to publish the atlas! 

 

I have been fortunate to have received a lot of feedback from many of you, with a lot of great ideas and an opportunity to improve where needed. From all this feedback I have begun to realise that I am not a publishing expert and that there is a good reason this is a profession on itself; as an amateur one man show I could only bring this Atlas so far.

 

With a professional publishing house such as Springer (the ‘home’ of Luna Cognita…) supporting the project, there will be many advantages.

 

First of all the continuity of the availability will be much better secured as this no longer depends on myself alone and the availability would also be much wider than only our big friendly online shop. On top of this, there would be a wealth of experience in putting together books, meaning the book would benefit from a professionalism in the editing and publishing activities; the quality of the publication would improve a lot with this.

 

There is one major change: the Atlas will be published as one volume for both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

 

Currently the Northern Hemisphere is still available, but I will stop selling this book by the end of the month. I do not find it fair for potential new users to sell the northern Hemisphere to them when I know there will not be a southern hemisphere book and the complete new atlas will come out in the near future.

 

I am excited about this new development and am confident that it will benefit all users of the atlas.

 

Clear skies!

 

Fred

Congratulations. Please keep us informed about when the complete atlas will become available. 

[scottinash]

This is really good news, Fred!    I have definitely enjoyed the Vol 1 Northern Hemisphere and looking forward to the full Atlas with your enhancements!   

[harpo80]

Great news!!  Congratulations on landing a publishing deal - and good to hear it'll be in one volume.  Please keep us updated on availability!

[PEterW]

Any rough estimates on timescale? I’ll keep an eye out for it.

Peter

[AstronomyFred]

Hi Eyeoftexas, Scott, Jack and Peter,

 

Thanks for the kind reactions and good wishes!

 

Good question on the timing of availabiity, the time scale is a bit difficult for me to estimate, but I think it willl take a bit more time to get the book published. I think we are talking more about mid next year, instead of end of this year.

 

I'll keep everyone informed as soon as I have more information.

 

Kind regards,

 

Fredrick

[Pidaddy13]

I have been following this topic, and the discussion on librations.  As the moon is sphere, that would mean that Luna's nearest point to us would be the moon's radius closer to us than the edges.  The radius is about 1080 miles meaning that a telescope that is looking at, say, the full moon would be taking in the nearest point and the furthest point (the edges) of that distance.  I'm sure that .0044% of difference in the total of 238,000 miles is imperceptible to us.  But are there any measurements that need to take this difference into account?

 

Dan Hall