Alphonsus crater on the moon through astronomical telescope.

Alphonsus crater (108 km), although it has a "disordered" edge, keeps its shape round. Through a telescope, he and the surrounding craters can be seen in all their splendor, because are located facing Earth, and therefore all their floor is exposed to the observer.

Alphonsus is one of the three craters forming a trio on the lunar surface: Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus and Arzachel, trio arranged from north to south, with a decreasing their size, in the order that I've mentioned above.

 So Alphonsus is located in the middle, and is unlike any of the other two craters. Note that each of craters that form the trio, is different from the other: Ptolemaeus is wide (153 km), with a smooth floor, lacking of a central peak, Alphonsus has a more random appearance compared with Ptolemaeus, and shows a peak in the center, and Arzachel (97 km) is a crater similar to Copernicus in appearance, being deep, with a central peak and terraced beautiful interior walls.

Moon age: 7 days
Stage: 51% (0% = New, 100% = Full)
Distance: 384.488 km

Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian telescope, 20mm Plössl, 2x barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Camera: Sony CX130
Filter: no
Date: 29/04/2012
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: video capture, FastStone Image Viewer

Above, is an older photo with labels on the craters.

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Ages of Ptolemaeus Alphonsus and Arzachel craters

Photographer: Victor Lupu
Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian telescope, plossl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Device: Sony CX105 at 8x optical zoom
Total Magnification: 800x
Eyepiece Adapter: 1.25 "
Filter: No
Date: 12/05/2011
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: video capture, FastStone Image Viewer

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          Alpetragius and Arzachel are on the center of the Moon. In captures above, these two craters are the ones that are in the foreground.
The photo below is an image of the area where this craters are located.

          Arzachel is one of the three craters that form a chain of craters: Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus, Arzachel. On Earth, a technique used to realize the age of geological formations is by seeing the effects of erosion of structures.Even if the force of erosion on Earth and the Moon are different, this technique can be used to know the age of geological formations on the Moon too.
One of the best places to see different craters on the Moon to see craters located next to each other, is Ptolemaeus Alphonsus and Arzachel.

         Looking at the photo below, the differences between the three craters are very obvious. Ptolemaeus has a large flat floor with no central peak , and the edge is almost nonexistent in some places. Alphonsus, has also a flat floor, but shows a central peak and crater walls are more robust. Then there is Arzachel , a good example of a complex crater, with terraced walls, and a distinct central peak.

          It is evident so far in terms of age of craters, that Ptolemaeus is the oldest, Alphonsus is the middle brother and the youngest is Arzachel.
Why Ptolemaeus do not have a central  peak? After the impact, crater Ptolemaeus formed, magma beneath the crust of the Moon rose through the cracks. Magma, joined and then hardened in the crater forming a flat floor. It was gathered enough lava to completely flood the crater's central peak, but not enough to cover the walls of the crater.

          Alphonus crater floor is also flooded with lava, but it was not enough to flood and central peak.
Beautiful terrace walls inside Arzachel crater have remained almost untouched, because of its young age.

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Video Alphonsus crater on the Moon through telescope

Prominent and easily visible craters, older Ptolemaeus and younger Alphonsus, are visible through binoculars.

In this video, Alphonsus's east wall shadow, nearly covers a quarter of it's floor. From this, we can figure out the shapes of the peaks and their height.

Central peak of Alphonsus is lit by the sun, shining strong. Alpetragius crater is in total darkness.

Video is upside down as seen through the telescope.



Optics: CelestronC8 "-Newtonian telescope, plossl20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Device: Sony CX-130
Video mode: Full HD progressive 1920x1080
Filter: no
Date: 30/03/2012
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing and editing: Sony Vegas 10

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Ptolemaeus Alphonsus and Alpetragius craters

Photographer: Victor Lupu
Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian reflector telescope, plossl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Device: Sony HDR CX105
Filter: No
Date: 10/02/2011
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: video capture

         Ptolemaeus (153 km.). Ptolemaeus crater features are highlighted when the sun is at low angles during the first quarter and last. When is Full Moon, crater contour become more difficult to discern.
The crater has a rim with low height, with an irregular polygon, although it generally is circular. The largest of the peaks along the edge, called Ptolemaeus Gamma (γ), has an altitude of 2.9 km and is located in north-west along the border. Ptolemaeus has no central peak.There are several small craters on its floor, the most noted being Ammonius on north-east

 Crater name comes from Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy), (90-168 AD).
Ptolemaeus was a Roman citizen from Egypt who wrote in greek.He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and a poet and lived in Egypt under Roman rule.It is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais in Thebaid Hermiou. He died in Alexandria around 168 e.n.

        Alphonsus (108 km) is an ancient impact crater on the Moon that dates from the immediate post-Nectarian era. It is located on the mountainous eastern end of Mare Nubium, and overlaps slightly with Ptolemaeus crater to the north. The exterior walls are slightly distorted and have a shape somewhat hexagonal. To the northwest is Alpetragius (40 km), smaller.

Central, shows a sharp peak called Alphonsus Alpha (α). This pyramid-shaped ridge rises to a height of 1.5 km above the inner surface. It is not of volcanic origin, but rather is made ​​of anorthosites. 

         Alpetragius (40 km). The most notable feature of this crater is that it shows a large central peak, forming a rounded growth occupying almost the entire floor of the crater diameter that rises to a height of 2.0 km. There is evidence that this peak was enhanced by volcanic eruptions.

Other craters in this photo are: Albategnius, Arzachel, Thebit, Purbach, Regiomontanus, La Caille, Blanchinus, Aliacensis, Apianus Werner, Airy, Klein, Doati and Davy.

          Airy (37 km),it is named in honor of the british astronomer George Biddell Airy. the crater is the southern most member of a crater chain consisting of Vogel (27 km), Argelander (34 km) and Airy. A little further south is Donati (36 km).
Airy has an edge worn and somewhat polygonal, broken the heads of north and south. It has an irregular floor and a central peak.
 The name of the crater is ​​and the honor of Sir George Biddell Airy (27.07.1801-02.01.1892), who was an English astronomer and mathematician.

        Vogel (27 km). There is both a lunar crater, and a martian crater with the same name. On the Moon, is a small lunar crater located south-east of Albategnius.
Both north and south ends of Vogel's are interrupted by smaller craters. Vogel B is superimposed along the northern edge of smaller craters, forming an interconnected group of craters Vogel being the biggest.
The name comes from the Hermann Carl Vogel (03.04.1841-13.08.1907) who was a German astronomer from Leipzig, Saxon kingdom.

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The depth of center lunar craters Images by telescope Ptolemaeus Alphonsus and Albategnius

This is one of the clearest video capture image caught with this area of ​​the Moon. Craters are so easy to observ in depth under this angle of the Sun, because they are facing us, and are not on the edge of the Moon.

We can admire the large and smooth floor of Ptolemaeus, which has a distinct small crater on it.

In these area of craters, it is almost like they may not exceed the limit of heights because you can not highlight any high peaks, which could be noticeably bigger than others.

Craters depth are small compared to other craters on the Moon. Ptolemaeus has a depth of 2.4 km, Alphonsus 2.7 km and Albategnius of 4.4 km. Klein found on the floor of Albategnius, has a depth of 1.5 km, which when combined with the 4.4 km's Albategnius, is reaching a depth of 5.9 km.

It is interesting the arc craters that starts from Hipparchus, decreasing in size, starting with Halley, Hind, Hipparcus C, and the smaller, Hipparchus L.

Moon age: 7 days
Stage: 51% (0% = New, 100% = Full)
Distance: 384.488 km

Coordinates 9.2°S 1.8°W Diameter 153 km Depth 2.4 km Colongitude 3° at sunrise Eponym Claudius Ptolemaeus

Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian telescope, 20mm Plössl, 2x barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Camera: Sony CX130
Filter: no
Date: 29/04/2012
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: video capture, FastStone Image Viewer

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Arzachel crater Video 2012

South of Alphonsus, is Arzachel (97 km), a deep prominent crater with a central mountain. Central peak of 19 km long, rises above the center of the floor. It is affected by two small craters, along its southern flanks. Under a large sun of this crater is difficult to discern through binoculars or small telescopes.

The most exciting and magnificent trio linked craters, are Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus and Arzachel.

Arzachel prominent crater is similar in size and some topographical features, with Copernicus, but is much older. Arzachel was formed in an area already heavily cratered, but clear sculpted traces upon impact outside the crater can be seen in the area, especially to the west and south of the crater.




Optics: Celestron C8 "-Newtonian telescope, Plössl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Device: Sony CX-130
Video mode: Full HD progressive 1920x1080
Filter: no
Date: 30/03/2012
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing and editing: Sony Vegas 10

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Alpetragius lunar crater images

Photographer: Victor Lupu
Optics: Celestron C8-Newtonian telescope, plossl 20mm, 2x Barlow
Mount: CG5 (EQ5)
Device: Sony CX105 to 10x, 8x and 5x optical zoom
Total magnitude: 1000x, 800x and 500x (last photo)
Focal diameter: 1 "25
Filter: No
Date: 11/05/2011
Location: Baia Mare, Romania
Processing: Sony Vegas 10 video captures

These materials are craters from the center of the Moon seen from Earth. Ptolemaeus crater (153 km) unlike the others has no central peak, but is an extensive plateau of lava. Arzachel (97 km) has the highest peak in comparison with Alphonsus (108 km). These craters are located at the eastern edge of the Mare Nubium.

 About Alpetragius crater (40 km), I have not talked about at all.It lies near the crater Alphonsus and is notable in this huge central peak compared to the size of the crater. The peak is rounded and occupies almost the entire crater floor (a third of the crater floor), and rises
at a height of 2.0 km. There is evidence that this peak was extended through volcanic eruptions, and seems to provide an eroded vent. Alpetragius's depth is 3.9 km.

Crater name comes from Nur ad-Din al-Bitruji (also written Nur al-Din Ibn Ishaq Al-Betrugi and Abu Ishâk ibn al-Bitrogi , who was an astronomer of Andalusia.

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List of Moon's center features. Astronomy lecture

Craters at the center of the lunar disk, as seen from the Earth, are the most visible because their entire structure is facing us, revealing the floors and their perfect detail, even with a modest telescope. On the center, there are many features, such as mountains, seas (mare) and large craters. Apenninus Mountains are easily spotted, and craters as Eratosthenes, Copernicus, the great crater Ptolemaeus but others that can be found in the lists below.

The craters on the Moon are named after great personalities of the branch of science such as astronomers, mathematicians, inventors and not only.

The results of the links may not have as title the craters, mountains or other features you are looking for, but in the content of the articles, those features are presented.


Craters of the Moon's center area.

Abulfeda
Agrippa
Almanon
Andel
Aratus
Albategnius
Alpetragius
Alphonsus
Argelander
Arzachel
Airy
Blagg
Bode
Bonpland
Bowen
Bruce
Bumham 
Cone
Conon
Copernicus
Davy
Delambre
Dembowsky
Dollond
Eratosthenes
Flammarion
Fra Mauro
Gambart
Gay Lussac
Godin
Gylden
Halley
Herschel
Hind
Hipparchus
Horrocks
Hyginus
Klein
Lade
Lalande
Lassell
Lindsay
Marco Polo
Mosting
Muller
Murchison
Oppilzer Pallas
Pallas
Palissa
Parrot
Pickering
Playfair
Ptolemaeus
Reamur
Reinhold
Rhaeticus
Ritchey
Saunder
Schroter
Seeliger
Sommering
Sporer
Stadius
Sulpicius Gallus
Taylor
Thebit
Triesnecker
Turner
Ukert
Vogel
Wallace


Seas of the Moon's center area.

Mare Vaporum
Mare Nubium
Mare Cognitum
Mare Insularum
Mare Imbrium


Mountains of the Moon's center area

Montes Apenninus
Montes Carpatus
Montes Riphaeus


Other forms of relief on the center area of the Moon.

Sinus Aestuum
Sinus Fidei
Sinus Medii
Lacus Felicitatis
Lacus Odii
Lacus Doloris
Promotorium Taenarium
Rupes Recta
Rimae Alphonsus
Rimae Ariadaeus
Rimae Bode
Rimae Vladimir
Rimae Bradley
Rimae Flammarion
Rimae Gay Lussac
Rimae Hadley
Rimae Hyginus
Rimae Oppolzer
Rimae Yangel
Rimae Parry
Rimae Reamur
Rimae Schroter
Rimae Sulpicius Gallus
Rimae Triesnecker

Space missions on the center area of the Moon.

Apollo 11
Apollo 12
Apollo 14
Apollo 15
Apollo 16
Apollo 17

Luna 5 (1965) USSR due to a malfunction, it crashed on the lunar surface.

Ranger 7 (1964) USA- intentionally crashed, and successfully sent 4308 images with a resolution of up to 0.5m.

Surveyor 3 (1967) USA has landed successfully transmitted images to Earth 6326.

Apollo 14 USA-Extravehicular Activity (EVA). On February 5, 1971, the crew of Apollo 14 landed on the lunar surface in the Fra Mauro formation near Cone crater.


To see the photographic map of the center area of the Moon, view: Photographic map of the Moon: Center Zone. Lunar Atlas.

For those who like my astro pictures or my articles, it woul be great if you could pay attention on advertising that appear in the blog by a click and maybe one day I could buya better telescope.

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