The Abenezra C Lunar Sunrise Ray

Initial Reports

from Jane Houston Jones, observed on June 16th local time:

Forming a triangle with Azophi were a peanut-shaped crater-couple, Albenezra and Albenezra C, and this is where I spotted a Sunrise Ray at 9:45 p.m. PDT - 04:16 UT . The ray formed a fat wedge which filled the "C" crater floor, and it appeared to start in the shared wall of Abenezra and Abenezra C. Here is a great Lunar Orbiter image showing the craters: http://cass.jsc.nasa.gov/research/lunar_orbiter/img/4-96H1.jpg
In the image, Abenezra C is to the top left (the crater with two craterlets on the rim) and Abenezra adjoins it at the top right. Azophi is below these two craters. My sunrise ray formed near the middle of the rim of Abenezra, widening to a fat "V" covering the two small craterlets and more on the rim of Albenezra C. Here is an interesting map of the area: http://digilander.iol.it/ccat1/sezioni/astronomia/sez13.htm

The Initial Predictions, Using Data in Original Reporting

Ray was observed on June 16th local at 9:45PM or June 17th 4:16 UT. Jane's coordinates are 122.3W, 37.57N, 122m. By running predictions using site coordinates, date and time of the event, it was determined that the event could be seen when the sun was 3.537 degrees setting, with an average colongitude of 164.753 degrees. This data was used to compute the predictions, found on the prediction page.

Starting Date  = 2002 / 6 / 1  U.T.
Site Longitude =  122.30   Latitude =   37.57   Elevation =  122 meters
Feature = ABENEZRA C
Longitude =  11° 6'  Latitude  = -21°18'
Reproducing Lighting For:  2002 / 6 / 17  at  4 : 16  UT
Desired Solar altitude =   1.706° (Rising),  Azimuth =  89.128°
Average Co-longitude = 350.731
In the time column, D=daylight, T=twilight

                      ---- Moon's ----
                         Topocentric     -- Earth's --    ------- Sun's -------
   UT Date    Time     Alt°  Semi-diam"   long°   lat°    colong°   lat°   azim°
 2002/ 6/17   4:16t   46.06    980.30    -1.86   -6.75    350.81    0.19   89.13


Crater Description:

Abenezra, +192,-358: This fine crater is 27 miles in diameter, and has loft walls rising 15,000 feet on both east and west. On the floor is a central mountain, whic is connected by a ridge to the south wall. Abenezra overlaps an older ring on the east, and this ring contains at least eight crater and two hills, which there are craters on its walls. The inner slopes of Abenezra are richly terraced. To the north of the ring is the crater B, and farther to the east a peculiar double depression, E. North of crater B is a partial ring, T. There are other fragmentary rings on the west and south. On the floor there is a crater at the foot of the north wall, and another on the south wall. - Wilkins and Moore, The Moon, Faber and Faber, 1955

abenezramap abenezraphoto

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