Moon Log Transcript 6/23 & 6/24

Page 1
2020-June-23
8:43 PM EDT   Sheetz Parking Lot

I arrived at Sheetz @ 8:35, but it took until just 8:43 to see the crescent Moon pop out. Its altitude is about 25 degrees.

Wispy clouds cover 10-20% of the sky
10% of sky is semi-transparent clouds.
Moon is not deep in clouds.

Despite not intending to draw attention, my reaction to the Moon through my DT6/25mm was a deep, guttural "wooooow!"

Image is fairly wobbly, but there's SO MUCH to see!
(I wish I'd remembered to bring a pencil)

[large sketch of Moon] Moon - DT6/25mm
Lots of sharp, low-illumination angle detail! Lots of large craters in flate mare pop out. Had I brought a pencil I'd attempt to map it out in better detail. As this pen only does so much.

[the numbers "n)" below represent order of observing, as i didn't have room on the page to fit it in proper order]

2) FirstScope/K20mm
difference between H[erschel 20mm] & K[ellner 20mm] is significant.
Much more visible detail Still some blurry coma at limb, not severe.
1) FirstScope/H20mm
The H20 won't focus the Moon properly. I can make out some of the larger details, but it's blurry
3) K6mm
Much blurrier than DT6, but the there was no detail I couldn't see here that I did not draw in my DT6 sketch. [note: i'm not sure if the syntax/meaning is correct and I'm having trouble parsing it, so to be clear: Through the FirstScope with the 6mm Kellner I could see every detail that I drew in my sketch using the DT6 dob and 25mm eyepiece.]

Page 2
2020-June-23 9:12 PM EDT

[Large up close sketch of Moon] Moon-DT6/6mm
Wow. So so so much terrain to scan across.
So many craters, but also an interesting looking knobby [arrow pointing to knobby feature in drawing] looking thing on the terminator.
My neck hurts from bending down but it is well worth it.

Time to do some imaging

9:24-Earthshine on Lunar disk now visible thru DT6/25mm

-Phone too heavy for dob. Dob has no altitude-lock on its bearing, so I need a counterweight.
-Clouds cover the Moon just as I start video of Moon in FirstScope.
-Put FirstScope on concrete parking lot to stabilize it in the breeze, compared to the table.
-Using it on the ground is awkward in more ways than one, but doable!

[Fig A: Me on the floor]

Page 3
2020-June-24 08:45 PM EDT - Sheetz parking lot
clouds cover ~50% of sky. Mostly thin & wispy, 10% fluffy clouds.
I can not see the Moon, though I believe it to be behind clouds.

8:50 clouds seem to be getting worse, forming in-situ?
Moon is lost in the clouds, still haven't seen it

8:55 I see it faintly and hazy, about 25degrees up. Lost it seconds later.

[drawing] two  birds perched on a power line tower, DT6/25mm

[drawing of moon] Moon, DT6/25mm
faint, hazy, no detail visible at all.
Looks like the clouds are retreating from Moon, but may be too slow to keep up with Moon set.

9:26 - Moon is still hazy and dim. I can't see the sky contrast enough to tell if the clouds are improving or worsening.

9:31 - This is futile, I've wasted enough time, time to pack up. Gonna go inside Sheetz. If by some miracle the Moon comes out when I'm inside, I'll unpack again, but otherwise I'm going home.