Backyard Mn

Phases of the Moon  

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1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28

A 'month' of moons - gathered over the years ...

A rough guide to the heights of the Moon at transit for each quarter

Young Moons - links to a sequence from Day 1 to Day 4

The very thin crescent gradually shows more detail as the days move on - the dark of the Mare Crisium in the NE is joined by the Mare Fecunditatis, then Mare Tranquillitatis appears as well. The great walled plains of the SE - Langrenus, Vendelinus, Petavius and Furnerius can be seen, even with binoculars.

Without optical aid (barring glasses!) Venus often makes this part of the lunation interesting - with the Moon gradually catching up and overtaking the planet at certain months.  With good views to the west (or east at some stages) elusive Mercury might join in (only seen it once!!).  Sometimes other planets join in to make a great sight - or the slender moon passes near one of the Deep Sky spectaculars ...

Day 1 - with Earthshine	Day 2 - with the huge craters in the SE showing	Day 3 -Mare Crisium now clear in the NE	Day 4 - Mare Fecunditatis showing below Crisium

Early days (1 to 4), when the moon chases the sun into the west, are hard to capture from the Backyard.  I either have to brave the front garden with its heavy traffic, fire engines galore, extreme street lights .... or else drag the Tal upstairs and point it through a window - usually with poor results for photographs. 

Young Moons

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Days 5 to 8

From Day 5 through to around Day 17, the Moon is more likely to be visible from the Backyard, depending on its height in the sky - too low and it disappears behind the outhouses.

Day 5 Mare Nectar is now seen in full, with the magnificent craters of Theophilus, Cyrillus and Catharina on its NW edge	Day 6	Day 7	Day 8

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Days 9 to 12 

Day 9	Day 10	Day 11
Day 12		Day 13

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Full onwards ...

In the summer months the full moon dodges around in the low altitudes, skimming the top of the garage or outhouses, hiding in trees and behind telegraph poles (see Low moons) - but the winter full moons are high - and early!!

Full Moon follow link for others	Day 15	Day 16	Day 17
Day 18	Day 19	Day 20

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Day 21    Day 22    Day 23    Day 24    Day 25     Day 26     Day 27    Day 28/29

The later phases are either hidden behind the houses to the East - or  visible only in the unfriendly hours of the night before dawn  - can't always view with the Tal but sometimes manage a look with binoculars or even a daytime glimpse with the scope.  Most of these photos are caught through old 20 x 50 binoculars, set on a camera tripod.  Viewing is better than the photos   ;-)

Day 21	Day 22	Day 23	Day 24
			Not very hopeful but you never know ....
Day 25	Day 26	Day 27	Days 28/29

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All photos are copyright @kjcstudios and may not be used without permission