The week of August 5-11 takes us from Day 5 to Day 11. This week we will highlight the Arago domes viewable on Tuesday night.
Arago domes: [NE/J12] Near the crater Arago there is a pair of very large domes, one to its north (Arago a [Alpha]) and one to its west (Arago b [Beta]). These are two of the largest and most prominent domes on the Moon, and halfway between Arago a and the crater Maclear (100 miles to its northeast) you will find a challenging group of four smaller domes. It will be a nice victory for you if you manage to spot them.
OF ADDITIONAL INTEREST IN SPACE: JUPITER, SATURN AND MERCURY
For you early birds, before the Sun rises on Friday, August 9, Mercury will be at its greatest elongation west of the Sun and around magnitude +0.2. It is reported that the great Copernicus himself never saw Mercury!
Jupiter and Saturn are well-placed for viewing above the southern horizon through September.
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It is highly recommended that you get a copy of Sky and Telescope’s Field Map of the Moon, the very finest Moon map available for use at the telescope. It is available for $10.95 at www.skyandtelescope.com and on Amazon. All features mentioned in this blog will be keyed to the grid on the Field Map and will look like this: Plato: [NW/D9]
Credits:
Courtesy of Gray Photography of Corpus Christi, Texas
Lunar photos: NASA / USGS / BMDO / LROC / ASU / DLR / LOLA / Moon Globe. Used by permission
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