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Rolf's Astrophotography
  • An Astrophotography Journey!
  • Clusters
    • Globular Clusters
      • M13 – Hercules Cluster
    • Open Clusters
      • M45 – The Pleiades
  • Galaxies
    • Elliptical Galaxies
      • Markarian’s Chain with M84, M86, and M87
    • Irregular Galaxies
    • Spiral Galaxies
      • M31 – Andromeda Galaxy
      • M33 – Triangulum Galaxy
      • M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy
      • M64 – Black Eye Galaxy
      • M81 – Bodes Galaxy
      • NGC 4565 (C38) – Needle Galaxy
  • Nebulas
    • Dark Nebulas
      • IC 434 – Horsehead Nebula
    • Emission Nebulas
      • IC 1805 – Heart Nebula
      • IC 1848 – Soul Nebula
      • IC 405 – Flaming Star Nebula
      • M42 – Orion Nebula
      • NGC 2237 – Rosette Nebula
      • NGC 6888 – Crescent Nebula
      • NGC 7000 – North America Nebula
      • Sadr and the Gamma Cygni Nebula (IC 1318)
    • Planetary Nebulas
      • M27 – Dumbbell Nebula
      • M57 – Ring Nebula
    • Reflection Nebulas
      • M78
      • NGC 7023 – Iris Nebula
    • Supernova Remnants
      • M1 – Crab Nebula
  • Solar System
    • Comets
    • The Moon
    • Jupiter
    • Mars
    • Saturn
  • The Gear
    • APO107 Configuration Example
    • APO94 Configuration Example
    • MN190 Configuration Example
    • RC8″ Configuration Example
Rolf's Astrophotography

The Moon

The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth. The Moon is a planetary-mass object with a differentiated rocky body, making it a satellite planet under the geophysical definitions of the term and larger than all known dwarf planets of the Solar System. It lacks any significant atmosphere, hydrosphere, or magnetic field. Its surface gravity is about one-sixth of Earth’s at 0.1654 g.

The Moon orbits Earth at an average distance of 384,400 km, or about 30 times Earth’s diameter. Its gravitational influence is the main driver of Earth’s tides and very slowly lengthens Earth’s day. The Moon’s orbit around Earth has a sidereal period of 27.3 days. During each synodic period of 29.5 days, the amount of visible surface illuminated by the Sun varies from none up to 100%, resulting in lunar phases that form the basis for the months of a lunar calendar. The Moon is tidally locked to Earth, which means that the length of a full rotation of the Moon on its own axis causes its same side (the near side) to always face Earth, and the somewhat longer lunar day is the same as the synodic period. However, 59% of the total lunar surface can be seen from Earth through cyclical shifts in perspective known as libration.

The most widely accepted origin explanation posits that the Moon formed 4.51 billion years ago, not long after Earth, out of the debris from a giant impact between the planet and a hypothesized Mars-sized body called Theia.

Moonshine in Åva
Moonshine in Åva
The Moon has just risen in Åva and shines brightly. Nikon D800 camera and 24mm lens at ISO 800 and 3s exposure in February 2016
The Moon
The Moon
Photographed with APO107 refractor telescope and Nikon D800 camera in Åva, February 2018.
The Moon
The Moon
Photographed with CPC925 reflector telescope and Nikon D800 camera in Åva, March 2016.
The Moon
The Moon
Photographed with APO107 refractor telescope and Nikon D800 camera in Stuvsta, November 2016.
The Moon
The Moon
Photographed with MN190 reflector telescope and ASI 2600MC camera in Stuvsta, March 2022 Slightly cropped, monocrome picture taken with IDAS LPS P3 light pollution filter at 1/100s..
The Moon
The Moon
Close up with the MN190 reflector telescope and the ASI120MC planetary camera. October 2022. The crater Tycho is in the center.
The Moon
The Moon
Close up with the MN190 reflector telescope and the ASI120MC planetary camera in October 2022. Mare Tranquillitates to the right and the circular Mare Crisium to the left.
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