A snap of the Moon

Kavita has a basic telescope and the sky was so clear, and the planets in view looking so beautiful, I decided to  set it up. It is only a basic 60mm/2inch refractor with no auto guidance or Goto, but beggars can't be choosers. I set it up and tried some observations from the main bedroom window - this was because outside it was about -4 and getting colder. But the double glazing was causing a problem so....I had to wrap up warm and brace for the cold.

I took the refractor outside and even though there is a massive glaring street light outside our house, the moon, Jupiter and Venus stood out. First was Venus, very bright and obviously round, but the telescope isn't fantastic so the image was basic but fair. Next was Jupiter - this was more spectacular - braving the cold, uncomfortable position, freezing steps outside the house and the street light, all in the name of Science! I could see easily the two main equatorial belts as two mid grey lines across the planets face and three of the four Galilean Moons - Io, Europa and Ganymede. Amazing!

Then I pointed the scope up and looked upon the face of the Moon - a breathtaking view which I'd not seen for so long. Using my trusty phone camera, I took a snap of the surface of the Moon - fairly impressed at the result.

A section of the Moon on the terminator