Posted on Jul 17, 2021

APOD: 2021 July 17 - Alphonsus and Arzachel

Maj William W. 'Bill' Price

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A late good morning to you, Rallypoint. Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is titled "Alphonsus and Arzachel." A good subtitle might be 'Name that Crater.' Italian astronomer Giovanni Riccioli did so in 1651 when he named Alphonsus after King Alphonso X of Castile and Arzachel using a latinized name for Arab astronomer and mathematician Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī. He followed a similar pattern for the smaller crater between the two, Alpetragius. Riccioli named that crater using the latinized name for Spanish-Arab astronomer Nur ed-Din al Betrugi.

According to today's write-up, you would be able to see all three craters this evening if you look towards the lunar terminator with your telescope. In an interesting side note, the Ranger 9 spacecraft returned some of the first close-up pictures of Alphonsus in 1965 when scouting for potential Apollo landing sites. It was later crashed into the crater just left of the central peak at the conclusion of its mission.

APOD: 2021 July 17 - Alphonsus and Arzachel

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LTC Stephen F.

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"Quarter Moon" performed by Cheryl Wheeler

To learn more about the Music on Main Concert Series, go to:http://www.woodbridgeartsnj.com"Quarter Moon" performed by Cheryl Wheeler for the Woodbridge Town...

Thank you my friend Maj William W. 'Bill' Price for posting the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for Saturday, July 17, 2021 entitled "Alphonsus and Arzachel."

Image: Alphonsus and Arzachel - Image Credit & Copyright - Noel Donnard

APOD background
"Eplanation: Point your telescope at tonight's first quarter Moon. Along the terminator, the shadow line between night and day, you might find these two large craters staring back at you with an owlish gaze. Alphonsus (left) and Arzachel are ancient impact craters on the north eastern shores of Mare Nubium, the lunar Sea of Clouds. The larger Alphonsus is over 100 kilometers in diameter. A low sun angle highlights the crater's sharp 1.5 kilometer high central peak in bright sunlight and dark shadow. Scouting for potential Apollo moon landing sites, the Ranger 9 spacecraft returned closeup pictures of Alphonsus before it crashed in the crater just northeast (toward the upper left) of its central mountain in 1965. Alpetragius, between Alphonsus and Arzachel, is the small crater with the deeply shadowed floor and overly large central beak."

"Quarter Moon" performed by Cheryl Wheeler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmVNEYV04q4

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LTC Stephen F.

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Cowboy Junkies Anniversary Song - Lyrics PALE SUN, CRESCENT MOON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqCxS3_XqQ8

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LTC Stephen F.

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