Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 09:41:45 -0500
From: "David Mitsky" 
Subject: [SHALLOW] Torricelli Ray, Where Were You?

Last Monday evening (2002/12/9) fellow ASH member Tony Donnangelo and I
attempted to view the Torricelli Lunar Sunrise Ray using Tony's
Takahashi FS-102 apochromat at a number of magnifications.  The ray was
predicted to begin at 22:55 UT (see
http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/torricellip.htm).  We
observed the crater for over an hour but saw no shaft of light
illuminate its floor.  Eventually I left to attend the monthly ASH
meeting and Tony continued to monitor the crater until the sky grew too
cloudy for further observation. 

BTW, Torricelli has an interesting pear shape and is well worth a look. 

Dave Mitsky
Harrisburg, PA

Observer: Tony Donnangelo
Date/time of observation: 2002/12/9 22:00 UT
Location of site: Hummelstown RD 3, PA, USA (40.26° N., 76.75° W.) 
Site Elevation: 479 feet (146 meters)
Site classification: Suburban
Sky darkness: Moon was 33% illuminated and partly cloudy
Instrument: Takahashi FS-102
Magnification: 102.5x(8mm Vixon LSW), 234x(3.5mm Vixon LSW), 158x&394x(Pentax 5.2LX & 2.5x Powermate)
Object: Torricelli (Crater), Rukl Chart #47
Lunar Light Ray s Coordinates: 4°36 S, 28°30 E. 

I started observing this crater 55 minutes before the ray was predicted to occur at 22:55 UT. Sky conditions were partly cloudy and transparency wasn t good, but the crater was easily observable. It had an interesting pear-shaped appearance in conjunction with a smaller crater that was adjacent to its open western wall. The area surrounding the crater was illuminated, but the interior of the crater was in total shadow. I was joined by Dave Mitsky ~22:55 UT, and he observed until ~00:00 UT of the 10th. I continued observing until ~01:30 UT, when it became too cloudy. During the entire observing session, the floor of the crater remained completely shadowed with no ray visible. It may have been possible for the ray to occur at a later hour.