New LCROSS Ground-based Training Exercise

[Jim Mosher]

I have received a message from Dr. Wooden announcing a new training
exercise to be conducted Monday night (US time). The details are as
follows.

"NASA IRTF SpeX imaging and spectroscopy run for the N polar region,
led by Dr. Diane Wooden (NASA Ames) and Dr. Michael S. Kelley (Univ.
Maryland): 2009 Mar 10 08:00-11:00 UT (2009 Mar 09 22:00-2009 Mar 10
01:00 HST)."

Any photos showing the Moon's north pole under conditions similar to
the ones in effect on Monday would help them find the targets they are
looking for.

There is a more detailed message about this at:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/message/24422

-- Jim

[Jim Mosher]

Some additional information about this event, including simulations of
what the target area is expected to look like, is available at:

http://ltvt.wikispaces.com/LCROSS+Mar+2009+Campaign\

-- Jim

[valmirmmorais]

Caro Jim e demais Amigos:

Eu postei mensagens sobre o pedido de imagens do pólo norte lunar
feito pela Dra. Diane Wooden (NASA Ames) nos grupos astronômicos do
Brasil, Espanha, Argentina, Uruguai, Paraguai, México, Portugal,Peru,
Bolívia, Chile e Venezuela.

Aguardo as colaborações dos observadores e colegas desses países.

Céus claros!

Valmir Martins de Morais
Estação Astronômica PieGise - CEA Cariri
Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará - Brasil

=======

Portuguese to English auto translation


Dear Jim and other Friends:

I posted messages on the request for images of the lunar north pole
made by Dr. Diane Wooden (NASA Ames) in astronomical groups in Brazil,
Spain, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Mexico, Portugal, Peru, Bolivia,
Chile and Venezuela.

I look forward the collaboration of colleagues in these countries.


Clear Skies,

Valmir Martins de Morais
Estação Astronômica PieGise - CEA Cariri
Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará - Brasil

[Jim Mosher]

Thanks Valmir!

Kurt Fisher has noticed that in addition to Monday's date, Drs. Wooden
and Kelley have reserved time for "project 118" on NASA's IRTF on:

2009 May 6 from 04:00 to 09:59 UT
2009 July 1 from 04:00 to 07:45 UT
2009 July 2 from 04:00 to 08:00 UT

Theses are listed (in Hawaiian Standard Time) in:

http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/observing/schedule/cy2009A_sched.pdf

Based on the times reserved, it would appear these runs start an hour
or so before sunset.

For those who might wish to start looking now for past photos taken
under similar circumstances, or planning future observations, the
conditions at the mid-points of the runs will be:

Date UT Colon Lat Lon Lat
May 6 07:00 50.8 1.5 5.4 6.4
Jul 1 06:00 14.5 0.6 7.0 7.4
Jul 2 06:00 26.7 0.6 6.6 7.2

* Colon/Lat is the Sun's colongitude (90 - lon) and latitude on the
Moon.
* Lon/Lat are the librations in longitude and latitude as observed
from the IRTF site.

Since the libration in latitude is strongly positive, the Moon's north
pole will be tipped towards Earth and the observations will presumably
be centered there.

I have prepared lists of past and future times (2000-2009) when the
Moon's north pole was tipped towards Earth under similar lighting
conditions. They are posted at:

http://ltvt.wikispaces.com/LCROSS+May+2009+Campaign#SimilarDates

and

http://ltvt.wikispaces.com/LCROSS+Jul+2009+Campaign#SimilarDates

There is, of course, no guarantee the May and July telescope time will
actually be used for this purpose.

-- Jim