Lunar crater Blagg

[Jeremy Shears]

Recently, David Portree of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter team contacted me about Mary Adela Blagg after whom a crater was named. Blagg was a selenographer and studied variable stars. She was a member of the BAA and I researched her life for my first Presidential Address. David has just published an article about Blagg and her crater: http://www.lroc.asu.edu/posts/1093 

[Alan Thomas]

An interesting article, especially concerning Mary Blagg. One small point – mention is made that the Moon has no atmosphere. I seem to recall recently reading that it does, albeit tenuous, a surprise to me I must say. 

[Bill Leatherbarrow]

Interesting article, Jeremy. Blagg’s colleague on the Collated List of Lunar Formations, S.A. Saunder, also has a (somewhat larger) crater named for him on the Moon. Coincidentally, I imaged the latter on the evening of 11th April – although my effort is not quite as good as the LROC image of crater Blagg! Saunder was President of the BAA 1902-1904.

[Jeremy Shears]

Thanks Bill. David Portree tells me we can expect some more images of the crater:

“Stand by on that new Blagg crater image – tentative date is 4/25. We have the low-Sun image mosaic I used in the post and some high-Sun images that show mainly brightness variations – if all goes well, the new image (actually a pair taken on successive orbits) will be intermediate between the two, so we’ll see more of the Blagg crater floor and more secondary crater wall slump action (if it exists).”

If I hear more, I’ll let you know.

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