13 replies to this topic

[CHnuschti]

Newton crater visual observation

 

Looked at this one in maps for some time now. Still on my todo -to observe- list.

 

The crater is catalogized as "the deepest on near side", its D. If you look at it in LROC, to me it looks very likely those were (at least) 3 consecutive, bigger and excentric impacts (timely well apart I think), each deepening more into, probably the reason for the depth. The profiles look very cool, as there are 3 very flat floors of lava fill, apart each other in some 400/1000m elevation. The elevation difference to the highest rim on the east is almost whooping 8000 meters, in a distance of approx. 60km.

 

Maybe the central peak of the main name-giving crater (2 in the pic) is integrated into the crater rim of D, visually judged.

 

Observing it looks not so easy. Going through the librations in VMA, compared with the NASA preview, it looks best timepoint is definitely at waning around 50-70%, thats roughly around day 19-22. At least in the coming months, I'm not entirely sure if this preconditions change substantially in the coming years. In the other way round (terminator at crescent) it lies much more to the south, the illumination also is less favorable. Reference is Moretus just north, that one usually is well to identify.

 

I found a -rare as it seems- very good picture in astrobin.

This other picture, terminator included, catches it also well, it's around the said timepoint.

 

Remains a bit challenging I think, to visually distinguish it well, as far the NASA previews suggests. We'll see ...

 

regards

 

Clementine Image taken from Wiki

 

 

Crop from NASA preview "best opportunity" (is 2024-9-23)

Edited by CHnuschti, 12 June 2024 - 06:20 PM.

[scottinash]

Very enjoyable report.....Thank you for sharing.  I have observed this very interesting complex several times and you are correct that it is difficult visually being very low and dark in the South.  Thank goodness for flyover views from LROC, etc. to provide us a greater view to help understand and collaborate the visual efforts.    

[The Ardent]

Visually I see double elongated ridges. Distinctly non circular unlike many surrounding craters , Moretus for example .

[scottinash]

Frank5817 shared an excellent sketch of this region several years ago that I have bookmarked in my observing notes.  It is a great representation of what most of my views via the eyepiece have looked like (dark).

https://www.cloudyni...mberger-newton/

 

Also, Physicsman recently posted an image of this area which shows what would possibly be the best view of Newton from earth.  I have yet to personally observe it so clearly visually though. As with a lot of obscure features/areas, proper timing is essential apparently. 

 

https://www.cloudyni...strip-ri-crop2/

 

I'm anxious to hear what success you have with visual observations.  I like The Ardent's description which seems to line-up with Physicsman's image.  You've definitely motivated me to place a more focused approach on getting a better look...thanks!

Edited by scottinash, 13 June 2024 - 06:41 AM.

[Physicsman]

As suggested by Scott, here are a couple of views imaged in October and November 2022. The libration was around 7 degrees from a near southerly direction, so Newton was more prominent than normal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Views are looking south, of course!

Edited by Physicsman, 13 June 2024 - 10:51 AM.

[CHnuschti]

Also, Physicsman recently posted an image of this area which shows what would possibly be the best view of Newton from earth.  I have yet to personally observe it so clearly visually though. As with a lot of obscure features/areas, proper timing is essential apparently. 

 

https://www.cloudyni...strip-ri-crop2/

 

 

 

It's too near to the terminator I would say. The following 1-2-3 days it gets increasingly better detectable, I would expect. The  same picture as the last one in #5 I guess. But the  eastern, high ridge overlooking everything is brought out very well here.

 

regards
 

Edited by CHnuschti, 13 June 2024 - 11:22 PM.

[The Ardent]

I am usually looking it around full moon.
I always look for the three peaks south of Newton. The closest one is usually visible most of the time.

[CHnuschti]

Did look tonight at it with 110/660 at 145x, fair conditions. Laid quite deep and unfavorable. A bit much in shadow, but later around 22UT some more inner light, where you could figure out something. The strange C crater north, uplifted by several 1000m above the deepest D, was well to identify, half in (inner) shadow. But also the G was just so recognizable through its darker floor pointed out a bit. Its A south of it also was detectable, rim, shadowed inside. I counterchecked with LTVT, it's "correct".

 

regards

 

Edited by CHnuschti, 17 June 2024 - 07:14 PM.

[The Ardent]

I always see that peak under the green A line above.

[CHnuschti]

I can confirm that. Looking at it tonight, everything was in light, overexposed to pick out inner details, just the C was distinct. But the peak at the edge (I remember 3 slightly offset in a row ) now I remembered, were thematized here once.
Well, not always at the edge, it's peak 5 there.

 

regards

[CHnuschti]

This morning 27.07 I had a very nice view of Newton & al., with my 110/660.

Best was, uh oh?, at low 65x, gave the definitely better picture than higher magnification. Newton himself, the outer G, the A farther out, but also of its deepest, D, there were clear signs. Directly above D, at whooping 7000m higher, there is also the C, also was identifiable. A bit less favorable libration than what pic 2 in #1 shows, but the phase was similar.

 

Tonight maybe a bit better.

 

As bonus there was zeta psc, a bright double star @some 25", both very well visible, just 5' away from the limb down there in the south.

 

regards

 

Edited by CHnuschti, 27 July 2024 - 01:56 PM.

[CHnuschti]

Tonight I had the best view on it so far, with 110/660, 86% waning, with decently favorable libration. In full light, the crater rims of the namegiving Newton, the deep D, the bigger outer "encircling" G, and also its A were well to see / identifiable in 110x. The Astronomik CLS filter helped out further to nail it down better with the reduced glare.

 

With terminator still a good distance away, nevertheless the light darkening due to its nearing seems to be enough to favor contrast enough to detect things.

 

regards

[CHnuschti]

Had good seeing again. Even better to see the following night/tonight. Libration gets better every day, and terminator still far away enough to not produce inferfering shadows, but still to dampen the brightness of the illumination. Seems really the best opportunity, 70-80% waning, as around this phase the libration is always favorable (in the next months at least).

 

Gif with crops from the NASA preview showing the development over 5 days. First pic 20.08.24 21UT, each other 1 day later. Big one with central peak is Moretus.

 

regards

 

 

Edited by CHnuschti, 24 August 2024 - 02:04 PM.

[scottinash]

Very nice/effective animation!