Astronomy

A few days after the November “Beaver” Supermoon, we had this nice morning apparition of the waning gibbous phase of the moon high in the western sky. I used my Canon EOS Rebel SL3 camera with an EFS 55-250mm lens (at 250mm) hand-held (no tripod) to get the shot shown above. Click on the image to enlarge.

Why the “Beaver” moon? From the article linked above:

Why Is It Called the Beaver Moon?

For decades, the Almanac has referenced the monthly Full Moons with names tied to early Native American, Colonial American, and European folklore. Traditionally, each Full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred and through all of the Moon’s phases—not only the Full Moon.

The Beaver Moon

Why the “Beaver” Moon? This is the time of year when beavers begin to take shelter in their lodges, having laid up sufficient food stores for the long winter ahead. During the fur trade in North America, it was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts.

It has been a pleasant late autumn here in the desert. We are still expecting warm days in the 80’s with nights getting progressively cooler in the mid to upper 50’s. The temperatures quoted are in Fahrenheit degrees, of course.

Clickable image: The image taken slightly past first quarter lunar phase makes craters near the light to dark region more pronounced. Leo-AI explains:

Lunar craters are depressions on the Moon’s surface formed by asteroid, meteoroid, or comet impacts. They are a record of the Moon’s impact history, providing valuable information about the early solar system’s asteroid-pummeled past. The Moon’s surface is relatively preserved due to the lack of liquid water and wind, making it an ideal location to study impact craters.

During the first quarter phase, the Moon is illuminated from the right, making it visible from Earth. This phase is characterized by a half-illuminated Moon with a right half visible and a left half in shadow. Many notable lunar craters are visible during this phase, including:

• Tycho crater: A complex crater with a central peak complex, terraces, and a flat floor.
• Giordano Bruno crater: A complex crater with a central peak and terraces, formed about 10 million years ago.
• Linné crater: A young simple crater, thought to be less than 10 million years old, with a smooth floor and a diameter of about 1.4 miles.

These craters are just a few examples of the many impact craters visible on the Moon’s surface during the first quarter phase. The Moon’s surface is constantly changing due to meteoroid impacts, and studying these craters helps scientists understand the Moon’s history and the early solar system’s asteroid-pummeled past.