(meteorobs) Re: An Explosion on the Moon

[Swift, Wesley]

George John Drobnock,

	Where are YOUR obs.  More observations are needed.  We are past
the "is it possible" stage and need enough confirmed statistical data to
be able to quantify meteor mass.  This would be a big deal.  

	Our equipment was NOT sophisticated.   Any scope 8' or larger
adapted to about 1 meter focal length with one of these Stellacams or
Mintrons will give excellent results at first quarter moon.

	Just do it!

Wesley Swift


	

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
[mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org] On Behalf Of drobnock
Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2005 8:48 AM
To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
Subject: (meteorobs) Re: An Explosion on the Moon

Gee,  NASA with it's sophisticated equipment makes a wonderful
discovery. They see something   hitting the moon.

Ed Majden is correct,  the events of  --things striking the moon -- have
a long recorded  in  history  and may have other explanations.

I remember reading early 1950's articles in Sky and Telescope magazine
describing  how low technical observers -- no CCDs or the latest
electronic toy recording equipment --  seeing what was then described as
a TLP -- Transient Lunar Phenomena.   Wasn't there an Irish monk
claiming to see  something strike the moon during the middle ages? It
was a dragon or an angel falling?

Two handbooks that I have used for years describe -- I assume what NASA
is flaunting -- describe  the TLP's   --The Amateur Astronomer's
Handbook by James Muirden (1974 (rev 1968) pages 93 to 95.  And a work
by Sidgwick, Observational Astronomy for Amateurs discuss unusual lunar
events seen by observers..

Interesting the text in Muirden, describes an event occurring in the
vicinity of the crater Plato. There are  accounts in the 50's about
Russian scientist -- e.g. Nikolai Kozyrev in November 1958 -- described
a plume of gas and a reddish glow on the surface of the moon. It was
attributed to. possible volcanic activity. However, caution was given to
later observers,  that they may have faulty optics and such events may
be optical illusions.

The event that NASA is describing is a nothing to get excited about
event. I guess I am a bit jaded about this announcement because so often
nonprofessionals --  nonacademic and non government observers -- make
discoveries that are often played down. Perhaps the NASA event took
place or perhaps the red six false colour frames shown on the NASA web
site may be an equipment malfunction.  A pixel or two that are out of
place.

George John Drobnock

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