THE MOON
Phase changes
Distance to other objects
Colour saturation
Images using the dark edge
Using photoshop to enhance natural hues on the moons surface
To avoid the image looking unatural use the layering tool on photoshop, called an adjustment layer.
The colours allow us to understand the mineralogy of the moons surface, as well as the chemical composition of the lunar rocks.
Colour indications:
- blue/orange = volcanic lava flows
- dark blue = titanium bearing minerals
- pink = iron lacking, aluminium rich minerals
- orange/purple = low in iron and titanium
We have a slightly different view of the Moon each night. We describe how the Moon looks with the eight Moon phases or shapes
The moon will transition throughout each of its 8 phases over the course of the month.
- “moonlight” is actually just sunlight reflecting off of the Moon’s surface.
- The Sun’s light comes from one direction, and it always illuminates, or lights up, one half of the Moon – the side of the Moon that is facing the Sun. The other side of the Moon is dark.
Lunar Events
When imaging the moon, the dark band around the edge has a higher quality of picture
After taking these images I can stitch them together on photoshop creating a full in detail image of the moon
I will take these as the moon changes phases
Based upon the phase changes of the moon
The moon takes 27.95 days to fully orbit the earth, hence it changes position in the sky over time.
As the moon moves across the night sky I can image it in relation to other objects in the night sky such as:
- planets
- stars
Drawbacks
- will the moon and object fit into frame
- will the moons light drown out other object in the image
- will object appear stable as to measure changing distance from the moon
Investigation into key features
Valleys
Maria
Craters
- Impact craters created by incoming meteorites colliding with the surface
- Volcanic craters created by volcanic eruptions on the surface
Mountains:
- the mountains on the moon are ancient, as they are remnant of meteorite collitions on the surface of the moon
- These impacts left huge inner craters surrounded by colossal rims that would later become mountain ranges
- Marias are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions
- They are named after the latin word for 'seas'
- less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich composition, and hence appear dark to the naked eye
- Valleys are long depressions on the Moon's surface. They are difficult to find with the naked eye.
- Although they can reach hundreds of kilometres long, they are usually only a few kilometres wide.
Valleys are unusual because other features such as craters or rays (ejecta from impacts) intersect them
Lunar eclipses
prenumbral eclipse occurring on November 29-30 over europe
the moon appears darkened as it passes into the earth's shadow.
Supermoon:
Occurring on November the 15th and October 16th
A Moon that is full and at its closest point in its orbit around Earth
New moon
A new moon represents the start of a new lunar cycle
When the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude
The lunar disk is not visible to the unaided eye
Blue moon
A phenomenon whereby the moon appears bluish owing to smoke or dust particles in the atmosphere.