Lunar images requested of Aristarchus/Herodotus on 2011 Apr 15

This Friday, April 15, between 19:00 and 21:00 UT, the Aristarchus and Herodotus area of the Moon will match the same illumination, to within +/- 0.5 degrees, as that observed during the famous Transient Lunar Phenomena (TLP) seen by Greenacre and Barr from Flagstaff observatory back on 1963 Oct 30. The BAA Lunar Section would welcome any high resolution monochrome, or especially colour, images of this area during this time period. Such observations would be very helpful so that
the Lunar Section can test out the ‘atmospheric spectral dispersion’ theory, proposed by Sheehan and Dobbins (Sky & Telescope, 1999), or to see if natural surface colour could explain some of the colours seen back in 1963. Observations should be emailed to the Lunar Section Assistant Director Dr Tony Cook on: tlp@baalunarsection.org.uk

If you are interested in trying to resolve other past historical lunar mysteries, by observing under the same illumination conditions, then these can be found listed for different geographical sites across the world on: http://users.aber.ac.uk/atc/tlp/tlp.htm and are suitable for both visual and imaging- capable observers.

Tony Cook

BAA Lunar Section