A magazine of lunar topographic studies Vol. 17 No. 2 December 2008

Hippalus2008 December 720:10 to 20:45 UTCol. 31.6° to 31.9°Moon’s age: 10.1 dLunation 1063Seeing: AII-III, some mist200 mm SCT x200, binoview, integrated lightPDA sketch (north at top), enhanced inPhotoPaint immediately indoorsPeter GregoLocation: St Dennis, Cornwall, UKNotes: Hippalus had just begun to emerge fromthe morning terminator. I was intrigued by thenetwork of faintly illuminated patches on thefloor, which was mainly in shadow. None of theRimae Hippalus were immediately obviousowing to the shallow illumination and abundanceof shadow. A broad dark band of shadowran from north to south across Hippalus andextended further south, blending into the terminator.Hippalus’ northwestern rim appeared asa bright line. To the southwest, the peaks of Promontorium Kelvin jutted out of the shadow, alongwith several peaks south of Hippalus. Another set of illuminated peaks could be seen north ofHippalus. A dusky tract where Rima Hippalus II lies was visible to the northeast betweenHippalus’ northeast wall and Agatharchides A, and only part of the Rima Hippalus III was visible.Poisson2008 November 1901:40 to 02:15 UTCol. 162.7° to 163.0°Moon’s age 21.1 dLunation 1062Seeing: AII, clear skies300 mm Newtonian, x100 x200PDA sketch (north at top)enhanced in PhotoPaintimmediately indoorsPeter GregoLocation: St Dennis, CornwallNotes: The unusual kidneybeanshape of Poisson is evidentlyvery ancient and overlainby several smaller craters,namely Poisson A and T in thenorth and west and Poisson U and V in the south. Poisson’s floor, most of which was illuminatedby the late afternoon sunshine, appeared somewhat hilly. A sizeable unnamed crater about 50 kmin diameter appeared to lie to the southeast of Poisson. Apianus lies just north of the area drawn,its southern edge depicted. To the far west is the eastern rim of Aliacensis.The New Moon December 2008Page 15