-- Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> wrote:
Quick Moon object list for tonight's Moon passing of the Pleiades - For 4/2/2006 3:00 UTC (4/1/2006 8pm local time) <snip>
A brief observing note - Since we are still a few days after the March 29 eclipse, the Moon is near the ecliptic. The thin crescent of the few day old Moon in combination with this favorable ecliptic orientation made for a very strong Earthshine. Through 10x50 binoculars, the Moon and the Pleiades could be seen in one view, with the features on the "dark" side of the Moon's crescent being clearly visible in the steely-ice-blue light of Earthshine. Although the Moon is moving towards a less favorable Earthshine orientation tonight, there may be a repeat performance. Through a small refractor, the Moon's Rheita 500km valley and Dorsa Cato were especially prominent, although atmospheric seeing was very poor. An impression of the Rheita Valley's origin in a series of overlapping crater impacts was seen. - Canopus56 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com