Scanning Session Number: 98-002
September 29, 1998
BOS: 00h09m CUT
6:09 PM
Age: 8.6230 days
Illumination: 63%, waxing gibbous
Range: 392,814 km / 243,937 nm

Sunrise on Copernicus with 10" f/6.  HPS FOV = 430 nm.  Estimated magnification: 320x
For more information regarding this area, click here for Section 31)

Preliminary Post - Data tapes to be analyzed at a later date.

Shown is a 10" f/6 HPS view of Albategnius, 136 km (84 miles) wide, with Klein at 2:00 o'clock position.  Viewed at 350x, the field of view here is 290 miles, apparent range: 700 miles.

The scanning for this session  was accomplished  with both MPS & HPS modes, full datatape on MPS with selections on Main Data Recorder from HPS & MPS. Good intermittent images, considering the warm weather, low shooting elevation & resultant atmospheric distortion on HPS.  The edge of the Moon with the MPS mode is usually very sharp. However there was some slight misalignment in the optics and the SE limb was slightly blurred.  During the session we conducted successfull computer lock-ons at medium & high power.  The datatapes illustrate the capabilities of the DOB Driver II,
allowing the viewer a view from a "parking orbit" at 700 miles.

The link with Lockheed Martin's Lunar Prospector was not working and showed
some graphics changes, but should be working during the next sessions. Dr. Alan Binder wishes ALPO to notify him of any anomalies observed during our sessions, so any LTPs we observe are reported to David O. Darling. Lunar Prospector is then readied to scan the area with its instruments on the next overflight.

Datatapes have not been reviewed, but live scans showed no obvious anomalies.

Francis Ridge
Coordinator,
The Lunascan Project


 

 FMO-980929
 AVI file on the object on the left

(Left) Taken with the MPS Cam at 01h27m CUT or 8:27 PM.  What appeared at first to be a goose showed up in 10 frames at 30 frames per second. (Datatape: MPS 98-002, 14-56).  Slow-motion study of video showed dual jet exhaust. Object is inverted.  (Right) This object is more obviously a jet.  The coordinates of the object at left (within a half degree) were established by EZC computer as: RA 19:25:55,  Dec -19-degrees 19' 23,  Alt 31.73 degrees, Azm 192.56

 .
Weather                                                          Configuration
Wind Calm
Visibility 10 mile(s)
Sky conditions clear
Temperature 87.1 F (30.6 C)
Dew Point 64.0 F (17.8 C)
Relative Humidity 46%
 
HPS Unit:
Primary Mirror: 10" f/6,  57.8" f/l, 1/12-wave, radius of curvature 122
Secondary Mirror: 2.1"
Eyepiece: 26 mm Plossyl
Filter: #11 Yellow-Green (62% transmission)
MPS Unit:
Primary Mirror: 4-1/2", f/8
Eyepiece: 25 mm
FinderCam:
Sears f/135/GBC-400 b&w CCD

END OF REPORT