Lunar mountains through astronomical telescope. Montes Caucasus.

In these images we see a few mountains on the Moon, namely Montes Caucasus and northern Montes Apenninus. Since the terminator is close to this area, peaks and the shadows they produce are best seen.

Montes Caucasus start north west of the crater Eudoxus, and ends at the south, where Montes Apeninnus begin. Montes Caucasus, as Apenninus, are surrounded by two large basins, Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis.

Between the Caucasus mountains, we distinguish a crater called Calippus (33 km), which at this stage we find it immersed in darkness.

Other craters seen here are: Lamech (13 km), Egede (37 km), Cassini (57 km), Theaetetus (25 km), Alexander (82 km).

Magnitude: -10.82
Phase: 0.46
Distance: 399.283 km
Illuminated: 45.6% (0% = New, 100% = Full)

Astronomical instrument: Celestron C8-Newtonian telescope,
Eyepiece: Plossl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Camera: Sony CX130
Filter: no
Date: 30.01.2012
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: FastStone Image Viewer

In the picture below are labeled craters and other lunar features in the region. To better understand this photo, you should note that the label with the name or the letter of larger craters could be found at their center, and on the small craters, you should find them around them, usually above.

Image from 10 February 2011.

Read more »

Montes Caucasus half in shadow

Montes Caucasus, are mountains north of Montes Apeninnus and these mountain ranges are clearly delimited. In these images, Montes Caucasus is divided in half by shade. Only the eastern mountain walls are illuminated by the Sun. North east is Euxodus crater. Between these mountains, as an interesting feature, the crater Calippus. Montes Caucasus, are higher in the north, and "from the waist down" in the south, the mountains are rare, with pauses between them, and lower, thanks to Mare Serenitatis basin whose high level of lava made the lunar relief to be submerged in the basin. The general appearance of these mountains is like a bowl of flour overturned on a table. Flour is has consistency on the base  and a fewer at the edges. Over the flour, fell a coin, which is the crater Calippus.

Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian telescope, 20mm Plössl, 2x barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Camera: Sony CX130
Filter: no
Date: 04/27/2012
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: video capture, FastStone Image Viewer

Read more »

Montes Alpes Cassini

South of the Montes Alpes notice Cassini crater and two small craters located within it, designated A and B and in the first photo, Vallis Alpes. Also note southeast Cassini, the crater Theaetetus.

Cassini has an expanded outer edge. West of the crater, the Montes Caucasus, a mountain range of 550 km length, is marking the boundary between Mare Serenitatis and Mare Imbrium.

Photographer: Victor Lupu
Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian telescope, 20mm Plössl, 2x barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Camera: Sony CX105
Filter: no
Date: 12/05/2011
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: video capture, FastStone Image Viewer

Read more »

Montes Caucasus telescope images of the Moon

Montes Caucasus, are a continuation of Montes Apenninus, and part of the rim of Mare Imbrium impact basin. Alexander crater (82 km), which looks like a canker in the Caucasus Mountains, is their right, not far from Calippus crater (33 km), which is located in the middle of the mountains.
   In the second photo above, is central crater Burg, in the middle of Lacus Mortis.

 The image below with the names of features of this area, is processed in Registax. All Registax pictures are found here: Registax: Alexander Crater and Montes Caucasus Images through the telescope.

Photographer: Victor Lupu 
Optics: Celestron C8-inch reflector telescope-Newtonian, plossl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Camera: Sony HDR CX105
Filter: No
Date: 20/07/2011 
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: Video captures

Read more »

Impressive craters Aristoteles and Euxodus Video by telescope

Spectacular pair of craters Aristoteles and Euxodus, located at the edge of Mare Frigoris, or "Cold Sea," can be easily identified even through binoculars.

 Terminator (the edge between light and shadow) in this video, falls on Montes Caucasus's peaks. Some of these peaks of the mountains are high enough to be visible in the sun.

 Observe and note the impressive crater Aristoteles, and note the smooth floor and its terraced walls. More than half of the crater is in darkness and the shadow of the eastern edge, is projected onto the floor. In the center of this crater are two small central peaks. The northwest edge is perfectly shaped.

Eudoxus, a deep crater, complex, with steep edges and terraces, ranging from 1 km higher in the north to 4.3 km to the southeast, is immersed in total darkness. Just east of the crater interior walls glow in sunlight. In the crater are central peaks, but not seen because of the shadow.

 The two craters, Eudoxus and Aristoteles, from different eras. The first dates from Copernican, and the second era Eratosthenian era.



Video: Victor Lupu
Optics: CelestronC8 "-Newtonian telescope, plossl20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Device: Sony CX-130
Video mode: Full HD progressive 1920x1080
Filter: no
Date: 27/04/2012
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing and editing: Sony Vegas 10

                                       Date: 20/07/2011

The image below is a video capture made ​​on July 20, 2011.

Read more »

Registax: Alexander Crater and Montes Caucasus Images through the telescope.

Figure 1-4: 139 frames, 90% Lowest quality
Figure 5: 2 frames, 100% Lowest quality

This photo shows Caucasus Mountains and nearby features. The first four are a single image, but with different processing on contrasts and sharp.

Crater I never about before, is Alexander (81 km), which actually has a shape similar to a crater, located north of Mare Serenitatis. It lies southwest of the crater Eudoxus, and north-east of Calippus.

Alexander was so badly damaged and distorted by other impacts over time, that now looks more like a region of plains, hilly land with bounded intervals. Rim segments are along the north-west, west, south, while the east is open. The walls that have survived, are almost rectangular in shape with the major mountain peaks to the northwest.
Crater floor has a darker albedo in the west, and gradually grows brighter to the east.

Photographer: Victor Lupu
Optics: Celestron C8-inch reflector telescope-Newtonian, plossl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Camera: Sony HDR CX105 to 8x optical zoom
Total Magnification: 800x
Filter: No
Date: 20/07/2011
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: Registax

Read more »

Cassini Montes Alpes and Caucasus

.

In the photos above, Vallis Alpes ,the crack in the center photo, similar to a canyon.

The first pictures above are the Montes Alpes (the Alps) with Vallis Alpes, then in the next pictures are Cassini crater and Aristillus with Autolycus.

Montes Caucasus (Caucasus Mountains), among whom is Calippus crater, and Theaetetus which is in the west of these mountains.

Photographer: Victor Lupu
Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian reflector telescope, plossl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Device: Sony HDR CX105
Filter: No
Date: 12/03/2011
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: video capture

Read more »