Chronological Catalog of Reported Lunar Events
Chronological Catalog of Reported Lunar Events
Chronological Catalog of Reported Lunar Events
NASA TR R-277
\s%
Barbara M. Middlehurst
University of Arizona
Jaylee
M.
Burley
Flight Center
Goddard Space
Patrick
Moore
Armagh Planetarium
and
Barbara L. Welther
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
WASHINGTON,
D.
C.
JULY 1968
NASA TR R-277
Patrick Moore
Armagh Planetarium
Armagh, Northern Ireland
and
ABSTRACT
A
catalog of reports of lunar events, or temporary changes
In
General d'Astronomie and the Astronomischer Jahresbericht were useful secondary sources. Each entry includes a brief
description
of the
ob-
11
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
DESCRIPTION OF CATALOG
1
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CHRONOLOGICAL CATALOG OF REPORTED LUNAR EVENTS
REFERENCES
45
in
indicated by stars Frontispiece-Topographical distribution of reported lunar event sites [After Middlehurst and Moore, 1967, Science 755, 449.]
IV
INTRODUCTION
catalog of reports of lunar events, or temporary changes on the moon, has been compiled
of
ence has been consulted; secondary sources such as the new (1964) edition of Houzeau and Lancaster's Bibliographie General d'Astronomie and the Astronomischer Jahresbericht were also
used.
name
of the ob-
The purpose
on the moon.
lunar event is defined here as a temporary change, other than that due merely to conditions
of illumination, in the
appearance
few
kilometers in dimension.
scurations, and brightening of the floors of craters and other small areas have been included.
No
many
of these
such as Messier, Linne, and Bartlett, but in most cases, the evidence
changes, as
it
all
from publications
2 the date of the
now generally
available.
Column
gives a running
number, column
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. tArmagh Planetarium, Armagh, Northern Ireland. tSmithsonian Asttophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
the use of the Gregorian calendar* and the time at 0 longitude except
column
5 the
column
4 a short description of the phenomenon, column The references are given alphabetically following the
catalog.
(e.g.,
Due
to the
form
of the data
presentation the
it
maximum
Many cases
given,
may not properly represent the total period of activity in the same site on consecutive or nearly consecutive nights are and weather and other factors may have limited the observing period within a single night.
of reports for the
of the
is in
at right
and west at
left.
As
far as possible,
we eliminated reports
(e.g.,
pos-
sibly because of special lighting effects, multiple reflections, and changes of appearance
caused
Reports
of this type
number
of the historical
inspires confidence in the reliability of the report and, for the rest,
the observation except in the cases listed in the next section.
in the catalog.
we
unimportant.
The fraction of past events which is recorded in the available literature is difficult to assess. Over the years, interest in lunar matters, and particularly in changes and events, has waxed and
waned. Wars have intervened, and bad weather cycles have undoubtedly reduced the amount of observing at times.
The number
of
is influenced
as the light-gathering
amount
of time devoted to
notable that a
marked increase
in
from 1783
is
to
volcanoes" on
May
4,
1783.
This increase
generated among
astronomers
in
armies
later manuscripts.
Moscow overran and destroyed Schroter's observatory, home, and many of his The time was a difficult one for science, and few advances in astronomy were
made.
Reports of dark-side events are more frequent among the earlier observations, when the
light-
gathering power of most telescopes was relatively small and the field often included the image of
"Adopted in 1582 in Catholic countries, but not Orthodox countries.
until
1752
in
in
1923
in
e.g.,
Planetary Observers (ALPO) reports) and similar undertakings in other countries helped increase
the frequency of reports of lunar events during the last few years.
the
We
attempted to eliminate
all doubtful
Less than
full realization
by the observers of the effects of changing conditions of illumination and other factors may have
resulted in erroneous reports. Hazards of illumination include earthshine (strongest during the
first
and last three days of a lunation), sunshine on peaks just beyond the terminator, differences
and color in small regions, and multiple reflections from crater walls.
in albedo
Careless re-
(Hammes
in
unusual light-
ing conditions or other temporary effects external to the moon, or which are unacceptable for
rise" saw a kind of ferment on the floor of Plato which clearly resembled a kind of twilight.
Schmidt (1879, Vierteljahrschrift fiir Astronomie, 14, 265) noted weak glows in the crater Boussingault, but he doubted that these were more than
8,
J.
1856 April
from
the floor.
1878
November
John
Hammes
a lunar "volcano."
Correspondence
in Scientific
American
John Hammes' respectability and good standing by the Mayor and three other citizens of Koekuk, Iowa. On investigation, it became clear that some of Hammes' details were incorrect,
and since his drawings showed such poor detail, the site identification
1899 August 29.
is
questionable.
P. Fauth (1899, Astr. Nach., 151, 219) noted that the inner parts of
light though not directly lighted
by the sun.
The
sun
45)
from the
list
1964
Where
of
number
of occasions)
felt
by a succession
number
of items, but
list of
we
regard to the
reported events, the following critical discussions and references are given:
Burley,
J.
Historical Review,"
1007-1011.
Chapman, W.
J.
Geophys.Res.,
72,
No.
2,
Icarus,
6,
No.
1,
140-142.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
record with gratitude help given by Miss C. Botley and others in locating many old journals and the contributions of data by Drs. J. Larink, J. A. O'Keefe, P. Treanor, Mrs. W. Cameron and many others. Mr. E. Whitaker kindly checked the evaluation of lighting conditions.
We
wish
to
made many items freely available for checking, especially in the libraries of Harvard Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and the Royal Astronomical Society. The support of the National Science Foundation through Grants GP-5940 and GP-6709
Thanks are due for the kindness
that
is gratefully
acknowledged by B. M. Middlehurst.
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841-11-78-01-51
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