Isabel Williamson Lunar Observing Program
Contents
Isabel Williamson Lunar Observing Program
Table of Contents
Description
The Moon is by far the most detailed astronomical object to observe through a telescope and the comprehensive Isabel Williamson Lunar Observing Program (IWLOP) will guide you through a complete tour of our near neighbour's incredible surface. The tour includes many outstanding craters, mountains, valleys, scarps, ridges, and more, not only showing you how they appear, but also describing the history of their formation over four billion years. The RASC Observing Committee created the IWLOP in 2005 as a certificate program for intermediate-to-advanced observers; since then, more than a dozen RASC members have earned their IWLOP certificates and many have provided constructive comments, leading to several minor revisions and corrections in 2013.
About Isabel Williamson
Isabel K. Williamson (1908 - 2000) was an amateur astronomer who became one of the most enthusiastic promoters of observational astronomy for the Montreal Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada RASC. Having joined the Centre initially in 1941, over the next 30 years she took on several roles of authority that included: working as Editor of a monthly bulletin; becoming President from 1950 - 52, and taking on Director of Observations from 1964 - 1968. Particularly interested in Aurora and Meteors, she received two main awards for her devotion and work to the Centre; the first was in 1949 when she received the Chant Medal for observations of the Giacobinid meteor shower of 1946, and later in 1982 receivership of the Society's Service Award for her stewardship and training in the Observatory (later named after her).
The Program Objectives
In honour of her contribution to promotional and practical astronomy, in 2005 the RASC offered the Isabel Williamson Lunar Observing Program. The program was revised and corrected based on user feedback and the latest program guide is the Revised 2nd Edition (2013). The Certificate is awarded to any RASC member who completes the following two sets of Required observing objectives:
(1) Introducing the Moon - Make 4 general-view observations of the Moon that cover several aspects and topics;
(2) Main Observing List - Observe 135 geological features and regions on the lunar surface.
There are additional parts, including (3) Libration Challenge Features (optional), (4) Observable Craters with Canadian Connections, and (5) the Lunar 1000 Challenge (see the guide).
The main goals of the program, however, are to give the observer an appreciation of the lunar surface, and a greater understanding of how those features observed formed over a period of time. The program can be completed within 6 to 12 months (or longer), and all features can be observed with telescopes of 80-mm aperture and up.
(1) Introducing the Moon
The first five objectives:
- (A) Lunar Phases and Orbital Motion
- (B) Major Basins and Pickering Unaided Eye Scale
- (C) Ray System Extent
- (D) Crescent Moon - less than 24 hours from New (optional, Challenge objective, as of 2011)
- (E) Binocular and Unaided Eye Libration
(2) Main Observing List
The 135 features to observe
| No. |
Feature |
No. |
Feature |
No. |
Feature |
| 1 |
[/Mare%20Crisium Mare Crisium] |
46 |
[/Zagut Zagut], [/Rabbi%20Levi Rabbi Levi] & [/Lindenau Lindenau] |
91 |
[/Stadius Stadius] |
| 2 |
Eastern Basin Group ([/Mare%20Crisium Mare Crisium] / [/Mare%20Fecunditatis Mare Fecunditatis] Area) |
47 |
[/Delambre Delambre] |
92 |
[/Clavius Clavius] |
| 3 |
[/Mare%20Anguis Mare Anguis] |
48 |
[/Aristoteles Aristoteles] & [/Eudoxus Eudoxus] |
93 |
[/Fra%20Mauro Fra Mauro Formation] |
| 4 |
[/Vendelinus Vendelinus] |
49 |
[/Sacrobosco Sacrobosco] and [/Playfair Playfair] |
94 |
[/Montes%20Recti Montes Recti] |
| 5 |
[/Langrenus Langrenus] |
50 |
[/Maurolycus Maurolycus] and [/Barocius Barocius] |
95 |
[/Copernicus Copernicus] |
| 6 |
[/Petavius Petavius] |
51 |
[/Gemma%20Frisius Gemma Frisius] |
96 |
[/Mare%20Imbrium Mare Imbrium] / [/Eratosthenes Eratosthenes] / [/Copernicus Copernicus] System |
| 7 |
[/Furnerius Furnerius] and [/Fraunhofer Fraunhofer] |
52 |
[/Montes%20Haemus Montes Haemus] & [/Mare%20Serenitatis Mare Serenitatis] Lacus Group |
97 |
[/Wilhelm Wilhelm] & [/Heinsius Heinsius] |
| 8 |
[/Geminus Geminus] & [/Lacus%20Spei Lacus Spei] |
53 |
[/Rima%20Ariadaeus Rima Ariadaeus] |
98 |
[/Blancanus Blancanus] & [/Scheiner Scheiner] |
| 9 |
[/Endymion Endymion] & [/Mare%20Humboldtianum Mare Humboldtianum] |
54 |
[/Abulfeda Abulfeda] & [/Catena%20Abulfeda Catena Abulfeda] |
99 |
[/Longomontanus Longomontanus] |
| 10 |
[/Snellius Snellius] & [/Vallis%20Snellius Vallis Snellius] |
55 |
[/Abenezra Abenezra] & [/Azophi Azophi] |
100 |
[/Bullialdus Bullialdus] |
| 11 |
[/Cleomedes Cleomedes] & [/Macrobius Macrobius] |
56 |
[/Dorsum%20von%20Cotta Dorsum von Cotta] & [/Dorsum%20Buckland Dorsum Buckland] |
101 |
[/Kies Kies], [/Mercator Mercator] & [/Campanus Campanus] |
| 12 |
[/Stevinus Stevinus] |
57 |
[/Linn%C3%A9 Linné] |
102 |
[/Mare%20Cognitum Mare Cognitum] & [/Kuiper Kuiper] |
| 13 |
[/Mare%20Fecunditatis Mare Fecunditatis] |
58 |
[/Cuvier Cuvier] |
103 |
[/Reinhold Reinhold] & [/Lansberg Lansberg] |
| 14 |
[/Vallis%20Rheita Vallis Rheita] |
59 |
[/Manilius Manilius] |
104 |
[/Dorsum%20Zirkel Dorsum Zirkel] and [/Dorsum%20Heim Dorsum Heim] |
| 15 |
[/Promontorium%20Lavinium Promontorium Lavinium] & [/Promontorium%20Olivium Promontorium Olivium] |
60 |
[/Montes%20Caucasus Montes Caucasus] |
105 |
[/Montes%20Carpatus Montes Carpatus] |
| 16 |
[/Franklin Franklin] & [/Cepheus Cepheus] |
61 |
[/Rima%20Hyginus Rima Hyginus] |
106 |
[/Sinus%20Iridum Sinus Iridum] |
| 17 |
[/Steinheil Steinheil] and [/Watt Watt] |
62 |
[/St%C3%B6fler Stöfler] and [/Faraday Faraday] |
107 |
[/Klaproth Klaproth] & [/Casatus Casatus] |
| 18 |
[/Palus%20Somni Palus Somni] and [/Proclus Proclus] |
63 |
[/Airy Airy], [/Argelander Argelander] & [/Vogel Vogel] |
108 |
[/Palus%20Epidemiarum Palus Epidemiarum] |
| 19 |
[/Newcomb Newcomb] |
64 |
[/Rimae%20Triesnecker Rimae Triesnecker] |
109 |
[/Lacus%20Timoris Lacus Timoris] |
| 20 |
[/Metius Metius] and [/Fabricius Fabricius] |
65 |
[/Hipparchus Hipparchus] |
110 |
[/Montes%20Riphaeus Montes Riphaeus] |
| 21 |
[/Sinus%20Concordiae Sinus Concordiae] |
66 |
[/Albategnius Albategnius] |
111 |
[/Hortensius Hortensius] & [/Hortensius Hortensius Domes] |
| 22 |
[/Janssen Janssen] |
67 |
[/Werner Werner] & [/Aliacensis Aliacensis] |
112 |
[/Mare%20Insularum Mare Insularum] Volcanic Complex |
| 23 |
[/Montes%20Pyrenaeus Montes Pyrenaeus] |
68 |
[/Montes%20Alpes Montes Alpes] & [/Vallis%20Alpes Vallis Alpes] |
113 |
[/Promontorium%20Kelvin Promontorium Kelvin] & [/Rupes%20Kelvin Rupes Kelvin] |
| 24 |
[/Atlas Atlas] and [/Hercules Hercules] |
69 |
[/Aristillus Aristillus] & [/Autolycus Autolycus] |
114 |
[/Mons%20Delisle Mons Delisle] & [/Mons%20Vinogradov Mons Vinogradov] |
| 25 |
[/Mare%20Nectaris Mare Nectaris] |
70 |
[/Montes%20Apenninus Montes Apenninus] & [/Apennine%20Bench%20Formation Apennine Bench] |
115 |
[/Kepler Kepler] & [/Encke Encke] |
| 26 |
[/Rupes%20Cauchy Rupes Cauchy] & [/Cauchy Cauchy] |
71 |
[/Walter Walter] |
116 |
[/Gassendi Gassendi] |
| 27 |
[/Sinus%20Amoris Sinus Amoris] |
72 |
[/Huggins Huggins], [/Nasireddin Nasireddin] & [/Miller Miller] |
117 |
[/Mons%20Gruithuisen%20Gamma Mons Gruithuisen Gamma] & [/Mons%20Gruithuisen%20Delta Delta] |
| 28 |
[/Capella Capella] and [/Vallis%20Capella Vallis Capella] |
73 |
[/Regiomontanus Regiomontanus] & [/Purbach Purbach] |
118 |
[/Schiller Schiller] & the [/Schiller-Zucchius%20Basin Schiller-Zucchius Basin] |
| 29 |
[/Fracastorius Fracastorius] |
74 |
[/Arzachel Arzachel] |
119 |
[/Montes%20Harbinger Montes Harbinger] |
| 30 |
[/Hommel Hommel] |
75 |
[/Ptolemaeus Ptolemaeus] & [/Alphonsus Alphonsus] |
120 |
[/Letronne Letronne] and [/Flamsteed Flamsteed] |
| 31 |
[/Piccolomini Piccolomini] |
76 |
[/Goldschmidt Goldschmidt] |
121 |
[/Rupes%20Liebig Rupes Liebig] |
| 32 |
[/W%C3%B6hler Wöhler] |
77 |
[/Montes%20Spitzbergen Montes Spitzbergen] & [/Mons%20Piton Mons Piton] |
122 |
[/Aristarchus%20Plateau Aristarchus Plateau] & [/Schr%C3%B6ter%27s%20Valley Vallis Schröteri] |
| 33 |
[/Posidonius Posidonius] |
78 |
[/Archimedes Archimedes] & [/Montes%20Archimedes Montes Archimedes] |
123 |
[/Mersenius Mersenius] & [/Rimae%20Mersenius Rimae Mersenius] |
| 34 |
[/Dorsa%20Aldrovandi Dorsa Aldrovandi] and [/Mons%20Argaeus Mons Argaeus] |
79 |
[/Deslandres Deslandres] |
124 |
[/Billy Billy] and [/Hansteen Hansteen] |
| 35 |
[/Jansen Jansen] |
80 |
[/Moretus Moretus] & [/South%20Pole South Polar Region] |
125 |
[/Zucchius Zucchius], [/Bettinus Bettinus] & [/Kircher Kircher] |
| 36 |
[/Lacus%20Mortis Lacus Mortis] and [/B%C3%BCrg Bürg] |
81 |
[/Maginus Maginus] |
126 |
[/Marius Marius] & [/Marius%20Hills Marius Hills] |
| 37 |
[/Theophilus Theophilus] ([/Sinus%20Asperitatis Sinus Asperitatis] & [/Mare%20Nectaris Mare Nectaris] Area) |
82 |
[/Davy Davy] & [/Catena%20Davy Catena Davy] |
127 |
[/Schickard Schickard] & [/Lacus%20Excellentiae Lacus Excellentiae] |
| 38 |
[/Cyrillus Cyrillus] ([/Sinus%20Asperitatis Sinus Asperitatis] & [/Mare%20Nectaris Mare Nectaris] Area) |
83 |
[/Rupes%20Recta Rupes Recta] |
128 |
[/Vieta Vieta] & [/Fourier Fourier] |
| 39 |
[/Catharina Catharina] ([/Sinus%20Asperitatis Sinus Asperitatis] & [/Mare%20Nectaris Mare Nectaris] Area) |
84 |
[/Montes%20Teneriffe Montes Teneriffe] & [[Mons Pico] |
129 |
[/Phocylides Phocylides] & [/Wargentin Wargentin] |
| 40 |
[/Rupes%20Altai Rupes Altai] |
85 |
[/Plato Plato] |
130 |
[/Mons%20R%C3%BCmker Mons Rümker] |
| 41 |
[/Mare%20Serenitatis Mare Serenitatis] |
86 |
[/Tycho Tycho] |
131 |
[/Reiner%20Gamma Reiner Gamma] & [/Galilaei Galilaei] |
| 42 |
[/Sinus%20Asperitatis Sinus Asperitatis] |
87 |
[/Eratosthenes Eratosthenes] |
132 |
[/Sirsalis Sirsalis] & [/Rimae%20Sirsalis Rimae Sirsalis] |
| 43 |
[/Plinius Plinius] |
88 |
[/Gauricus Gauricus] and [/Wurzelbauer Wurzelbauer] |
133 |
[/Pythagoras Pythagoras], [/Harpalus Harpalus] & [/Bouguer Bouguer] |
| 44 |
[/Lamont Lamont], [/Arago Arago], & [/Ross Ross] |
89 |
[/Timocharis Timocharis] |
134 |
[/Grimaldi Grimaldi] |
| 45 |
[/Moltke Moltke] & [/Rimae%20Hypatia Rimae Hypatia] |
90 |
[/Pitatus Pitatus] |
135 |
[/Lacroix Lacroix] & Southwestern Limb Region |
(3) Librational List (optional)
The 10 main objectives
| No. |
Feature |
| L1 |
[/Mare%20Australe Mare Australe] |
| L2 |
[/Mare%20Marginis Mare Marginis] |
| L3 |
[/Mare%20Smythii Mare Smythii] |
| L4 |
[/Hubble Hubble] |
| L5 |
[/G%C3%A4rtner Gärtner] and [/Democritus Democritus] |
| L6 |
[/Markov Markov] |
| L7 |
[/Seleucus Seleucus] |
| L8 |
[/Bailly Bailly] |
| L9 |
[/Ulugh%20Beigh Ulugh Beigh] and [/Aston Aston] |
| L10 |
[/Mare%20Orientale Mare Orientale] |
Additional Information
- Details on observing objectives can be found in the LWLOP guide , containing a more detailed description on each feature listed.
- Deluxe Observing Forms for all the features listed in the IWLOP.
- Obituary notice from the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Vol. 94, p.202.
Other Observing Programs
- RASC: Explore the Moon Program
- Chuck Wood's Lunar 100.
- Astronomical League Lunar 100 Observing Program.
- Rukl Index Map (the revised and updated digital edition of Antonin Rukl's well-known atlas of the moon's nearside, in 76 sections and 8 libration maps, plus historical disallowed nomenclature and hundreds of nicknames from dedicated telescopic observers of the moon and from the Apollo astronauts).
- CAES catalog (a huge Rukl-related catalog of telescopic test-objects on the moon's surface, and other odd surface formations).
This page has been edited 1 times. The last modification was made by - tychocrater tychocrater on Jun 13, 2009 3:24 pm - mwsx1
