CLOUDY NIGHTSTexasRed : 06/08/11 08:15 AM from Texas
Can anyone recommend a good map of the moon oriented like the view in my dob? Or a good book for getting started in exploring the moon?
MANDII : 06/09/11 09:55 PM
Well , this is a good topic to talk about .
In my idea , in order a moon map can be used by all kinds of telescope , and all it's pointing direction , it should have 3 kinds of views . Flip E-W , N-S inverted and most importantly it can be rotated to any angle . If anybody know this kind of software( I mean it can be rotated ) , pls teach me and thankful . We need to use software of moon map , not a copy of paper , because we can do many things in computer , like searching the crators by it's name , zooming view , taking picture of crators , or etc ... So a software of moon map is better and much more convienient than just a paper of map .
Why it depands on pointing direction ? In my actual usage of a newtonian scope for a long time , I found that the pointing direction of a DOB , newtonian scope ,except the refractor type scope , can cause the image in an eyepiece , to rotate to some angle . You can easily discover this image feature when you test even a fixed territoral building with a newtonian scope .
The image in eyepeice rotates clockwisely or anti-clockwisely , when your newtonian scope is pointed at different direction or angle . Of course in this test you have to locate the telescope in different position on the ground , such that the same buiding in different pointing direction , can be seen .
simpleisbetter : 06/09/11 10:10 PM from Republic, MO
As for software always being better and more convenient than a paper atlas, I'm not certain I completely agree. But if that flexiblity in software is what you're looking for, then download and install Virtual Moon Atlas. I run it, but I still prefer Rukl, the Lunar Field Atlas, or NASA maps.
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Steve
MANDII : 06/09/11 10:28 PM
Steve , I am using it , the virtual moon atlas , but it cannot be rotated . If you like paper , you can print it out from the that software at the time of observation .
Using computer has defintely another advantage , I am doing this kind of thing recently indeed . The advantage is : The observation can be planned in computer ! Before you are going to observe an object on the ground of a moon ( e.g crators ), you can do some kind of preparation . The preparation help you find an object more easily . You just save the picture that shows the nearby region of your target object . Or print it out in an paper . Or just save it as an picture to view in a computer display . And use it during the observing night . It save you much of the time at the observing night .
This is my thread for all your reference :
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/4268580/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1simpleisbetter : 06/09/11 11:40 PM
Hi Mandii,
Maybe I'm not following you in what you mean by it can't be rotated. If you switch to the Tools tab to the right of the screen (see atch pix), in the middle of that tab section you will see a block for rotation. You can select both default orientation and direction of rotation. It's always worked for me. Now, I will say I've noticed that when you switch to eyepiece view, it seems to want to reset to default orientation, but once eyepiece view is turned on you can simply rotate it until it matches your FOV in the eyepiece. I hope that helps.
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Steve
Robert70 : 06/09/11 11:46 PM from Lunar Map Pro. Always there..anyway you like it.
DarkSkys :06/09/11 11:53 PM from In the dark desert of Eastern ...
I kow this is kinda Off topic, but are there any free Printable moon atlases? I thought I had on old Nat geo magizine one, but I cant find it.
simpleisbetter : 06/09/11 11:58 PM from Republic, MO
Sure, they would be the Lunar Field Atlas & Photographic Moon Book I mentioned in a couple different posts earlier in the thread. Here are the links again.
Lunar Field Atlas.
Alan Chu's Photographic Moon Book
MANDII : 06/10/11 12:09 AM
WOW steve !! It works !
I had tested it just now .
Ha ha , I was not really able to use this software ,though I had used it nearly half years of time . Really tricky you are . And thanks much of that important and very USEFUL skill for me .
