Tmnrv1n1jul2011

THE MOON
NOTES AND RECORDS
OF THE LUNAR SECTION OF THE
BRITISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 1

JULY 2011

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL Bill Leatherbarrow and Nigel Longshaw

OLD AND NEW MOONS Denis Buczynski

CASSINI AND SCHRÖTER’S VALLEY Ivano Dal Prete

THE PROCLUS ILLUSION Phil Morgan

SHALLOW LOW CONTRAST LINEAR FEATURES ON THE MOON
Mike Brown

ASTRONOMICAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE: THE CRISIS IN AMATEUR
ASTRONOMY R.A. Rosenfeld

VIGNETTES FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF THOMAS GWYN EMPY
ELGER (1836-1897) Nigel Longshaw

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EDITORIAL
Section members of a certain age and with a taste for the symbolic may enjoy attempting to
interpret the cover image for this, the first issue of The Moon: Notes and Records of the BAA Lunar
Section. Its general layout is designed to recall the cover of the first Lunar Section bulletin The
Moon, which appeared for over a decade under the editorship first of D.W.G. Arthur, then F.H.
Thornton and finally W.L. Rae, before its demise in the late 1960s. During that period it provided
an invaluable outlet for the selenographical work of the Section, but its run was ended in the post-
Orbiter period when it was argued (wrongly) that such work had had its day. The absence of a
Section bulletin was keenly felt, and a successor publication The New Moon was launched in the
1980s. It also played a vital role in nurturing the Section’s observational work, and we have tried to
reflect this too in our present cover image, which depicts the ‘old Moon’ (a version of Langrenus’s
1645 map taken from a copy of Hevelius’s Selenography) in the ‘new Moon’s’ arms (a modern
digital image of the crescent Moon taken by Pete Lawrence). The present publication replaces The
New Moon, but continues that tradition of evolutionary change.

There can be little doubt that amateur astronomy has undergone something of a major shift in the
last ten years as its proponents have embraced the new technologies afforded by the advent of more
powerful computers and digital imaging techniques. Some might feel that the basis on which the
BAA Lunar Section has carried out most of its work over the past 100 years or so has been swept
aside in the name of ‘progress’. Visual observation of the Moon has been at the heart of the
Section’s work since its inception in the very early days of the BAA; and it is those observations
(and the work of those who carried them out) that has led, in many instances, to a greater
understanding of the topography of the lunar surface, clearing up many observational anomalies
from the past and in the process, it has to be said, creating a number of its own. It is vital for the
present thus to acknowledge the achievements of the past; but it is equally important that respect for
the past should not inhibit necessary change. It is impossible to overlook the advances made and
opportunities presented by the new technologies. Evolutionary change is inevitable: in the early
years of the Section’s work observations and reports were compiled and published in the BAA
Memoirs, and papers relating to lunar matters were also published in the Journal, a situation which
continued until the late 1950’s. Following the demise of regular Memoirs there arose a need for an
alternative regular contact between Section members and the Lunar Section Circular came into
being in 1965 under the enthusiastic editorship of Phil Ringsdore. For several decades this coexisted
alongside first The Moon and then The New Moon, publications that catered for the needs of the
more active members engaged in the work of investigating the lunar surface in great detail. Denis
Buczynski's paper in this issue acknowledges those publications and the important role they played
in the Section’s work.

Why then do we need further change now? Why not simply continue to publish The New Moon?
Simple: along with the advances in imaging techniques and the more frequent use of computer
technology has come the ability to produce a more comprehensive Lunar Section Circular which
has allowed a greater number of illustrations to be reproduced in much better quality than
previously. Over a number of years Peter Grego and his predecessors as editor have developed the
Circular into an authoritative and comprehensive monthly publication of which the Section may be
justly proud. Its format allows information to be disseminated more rapidly to Section members,
which in turn permits greater opportunity for follow-up observations. Because of the success of the
Circular it has become clear over the past couple of years that the boundaries between its content
and that of The New Moon were becoming somewhat blurred, and it was therefore felt that the
Section would be better served if the Circular not only continued as a ready means through which

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the section membership could keep up to date, but also took on what had been The New Moon’s
role: that of the regular publication of observational data.

However it is clearly also important to maintain the tradition of a separate Section bulletin, and the
present publication therefore represents the first issue of what we hope will be an annual
publication, along similar lines to the early BAA Memoirs. This approach will allow the appearance
of more in-depth and diverse papers and provide a more considered reflection on the Section’s work
over the preceding twelve months or so.

Against this background Julian Baum kindly agreed to prepare the cover illustration for this first
issue, encapsulating as it does the ‘old Moon in the New Moon’s arms’. This image conveys the
importance of considering selenology as an evolutionary process in which past tradition goes hand-
in-glove with modern technologies. It depicts a subtle blending of the old lunar chart into the
modern CCD image, and there is no clear-cut boundary. We have learned, and there is still much to
learn, from the past. The archive of visual lunar work is vast, and there is always something that
surprises and sheds new light on a particular area. Ivano Dal Prete’s paper on Cassini’s observations
of ‘Schröter’s Valley’ is a prime example of the possibilities offered by careful and thorough
research in historical matters.

In addition to looking back into the past we must also look forward into the future. Mike Brown’s
paper on his investigations of low relief surface features with CCD imagery is a prime example of
the work that has been made possible with the advent of digital imaging. Essentially the nature of
this work is a direct continuation of that carried out by the visual observer; it is only the method of
recording the observations that has changed. There is no reason why the visual observer and the
CCD imager cannot continue to work together to provide a better understanding of the nature of the
lunar surface under differing lighting conditions, and this is something the Section will be actively
seeking to promote in the future.

Once the morphology of the lunar surface is delineated in an accurate manner the process of
debating the reasons for its appearance can begin! In the past this area of lunar study often brought
about heated exchanges between selenographers, and here again the past holds a great deal of
potential for further investigation. In terms of understanding the forces that have shaped the lunar
surface Phil Morgan’s paper on Proclus is a prime example of how the amateur who has a through
appreciation of lunar geology can make a considered assessment of topographical details. One
might consider the term ‘lunar geology’ somewhat strange to apply in relation to lunar craters
which were formed by external forces. However, in relation to the Moon one has to consider this
mechanism as it contributes to a great extent to the forces which have shaped the Moon’s surface as
we see it, both in terms of the actual effect of the impact itself and the subsequent modification
processes which shape features during the post-impact surface remodeling phases.

The vast selenographical record has already been mentioned, and its potential for further research
outlined. However, the historical record is ever diminishing due to the problems of storage and
ever-decreasing budgets being encountered by the major institutions. Whilst there is no doubt that
the works of the major contributors to the subject will be preserved, there is little doubt that such
information will become ever more difficult to access in it’s original form; and in this regard we are
fortunate indeed to be able to reproduce the illustrations which accompany Ivano’s paper. However
the unfortunate situation is that a great deal of research material, observations and personal papers
of amateur astronomers and the lesser known contributors have been, and continue to be, lost.
Already little is known of the whereabouts of many of H.P. Wilkins papers, or for that matter those
of his predecessor Walter Goodacre. We are a little more fortunate in terms of T.G.E. Elger’s
observational notebooks, some of which are held in the office of the BAA, and from which a small
selection is reproduced in Nigel Longshaw’s paper. However, as Randall Rosenfeld writes in

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‘Astronomical History and Heritage’, the preservation of this material becomes ever more important
as the subject rapidly evolves; however the storage of this material becomes increasingly difficult as
its volume increases, and it is a dilemma to which there is no easy answer.

It is clear from the foregoing that there remains a great deal of potential both in terms of historical
research and topographical investigations and interpretations, and the future holds further
possibilities in all these fields particularly for the amateur selenographer unencumbered by the
constraints of working under institutional directives. However, it is important that the work
submitted to the Section is preserved in a manner which will ensure its safety and accessibility in
the future. Hopefully, along with the Lunar Section Circular, The Moon: Notes and Records of the
BAA Lunar Section will assist in some way in that preservation.

However, much will depend on you, the Section membership. We can only publish what we
receive, and we hope that you will consider submitting material for consideration for future issues.
In particular, we hope that future issues will reflect a wider range of the Section’s work than has
been possible in this first, tentative number, where the emphasis has fallen on topographical and
historical matters. The editors are grateful to all our contributors and also to Richard Baum for
informal editorial assistance. We hope that future issues will see the establishment of a formal
Editorial Board.

Nigel Longshaw
Bill Leatherbarrow
EDITORS

-oOo-

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OLD AND NEW MOONS

Denis Buczynski

The announcement in the September 2010 Lunar Section Circular that the Section was to cease
publishing The New Moon brought to a close a project that I was immensely proud to have been
associated with. The decision to end the publication was without doubt the correct course of action.
The reason to cease production is not to bring to an end the means of showcasing the studies of the
many visual observers who have contributed over the years, but to enhance the standing of those
observations by publishing them as a record of the Section’s output in an annual summary. The
need for a separate magazine to publish observer’s drawings has been superseded by the excellent
electronic reproduction of drawings in the Section’s circulars. The quality of, and access to, the
reproduction of drawings was the main reason for the publication of The New Moon and its
predecessor The Moon. As Bill Leatherbarrow rightly pointed out in his September LSC
introduction, both these publications were the lifeblood of the Section at the time and the efforts of
the subsequent editors are to be gratefully applauded.

The reintroduction of, and my involvement in, a magazine devoted to the study of lunar topography
for the Section came about by chance. I became interested in astronomy in 1974, with the prospect
of seeing an awesome Comet Kohoutek. As for most amateurs of the day, the obvious objects in the
sky for me to view through a telescope were the Moon and the planets (Saturn was then situated in
Gemini and has since traversed the zodiacal constellation). The reading matter available to amateurs
was primarily devoted to Solar System studies. The BAA had 9 sections devoted to the Solar
System and only one, the VSS, for the rest of the Universe! The history of the BAA’s observational
output had been primarily aimed at the study of the Solar System, with observations of the Moon
being a large part of that effort. The leading figures in the early BAA were mainly lunar and
planetary observers. Many of those who joined the BAA between the end of WW2 and the eighties
were encouraged to participate in the Solar System sections. The instrumentation available during
those years was limited and fairly rudimentary. Small refractors and poorly made reflectors were
commonplace. The best instruments were either homemade or very expensive new ones. The old
Victorian makes such as Cooke refractors and Calver reflectors had really never been bettered and
these telescopes were prized and much coveted by amateurs. It was by chance that I was able to
have one of these telescopes at my home in Lancaster. I wrote to the then BAA Instrument Curator
Henry Wildey and asked if I could borrow a telescope from the BAA instrument collection. The
reply came back that there was a telescope which had been on loan to a member 30 miles north of
Lancaster at Kendal and was available if I wanted to collect it. I was shocked that when I arrived to
collect it I was presented with not only a large Victorian reflector but a considerable volume of
BAA papers, correspondence and publications. The reality was that I had collected a 9-inch aperture
With reflector on a Berthon equatorial mount (possibly the Rev T.W. Webb’s telescope) and the
papers of W.L. Rae, the last editor of The Moon. It took some time for me to absorb the meaning of
custodianship of these items and the responsibility weighed on me for a long time. I had researched
the provenance of the telescope and although I could not definitively prove it to have been Webb’s
original, there were strong indications that it may be. More important were the documents which
were mainly related to Lunar Section matters and particularly the production of The Moon. I was
absorbed by these documents and became more interested in the history of lunar observations,
especially the contributions made by the BAA observers. I had Webb’s telescope (so I believed) and
I could point it to the Moon and see what he and a generation of later lunar observers had seen. My
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limitation was that I was no artist and could not represent on paper the detail I could see. However I
had great admiration and some envy for those who could faithfully record their observations. Their
names were legendary to me and I wanted to be able to see more of their work. So I began to think
about the then current situation within the Section, where topographic studies were almost absent
and as to how I could bring about a change.

The standing of topographic studies within the Lunar Section in the 1980s needs to be seen in the
light of what had gone before. Even before the BAA was formed there was a strong movement
within the British scientific community to study the features of the Moon with a goal of producing
better detailed and more accurate maps than were available at that time. Many of the leading names
within the newly-formed BAA were involved in this work and they brought with them that
tradition. The maps and books by Elger, Neison and Wilkins along with the BAA Lunar Section
Memoirs were examples of the emphasis that the Lunar Section placed on this mapping work. The
techniques involved in mapping were to become divided. There were those who continued to draw
features seen visually at the telescope in order to compare and amend maps, and those who
followed A.N. Neate’s approach and used photographic techniques to measure fundamental
positions and lay down a more rigorous scientific methodology. The ever-popular Patrick Moore
encouraged observers to participate at every level. The advent of the spacecraft era and the
proposed lunar landings had the dual effects of raising the importance of the subject of lunar
topographic studies and of diminishing the impact that classical telescopic drawing methods had on
the subject. Lunar Section members (D.W.G. Arthur and Ewen Whitaker) joined the professional
US teams to map the Moon to a degree of accuracy and completion that could never be achieved by
the observational work of the BAA Lunar Section. From the late 1960s onwards the visual
observers within the Section were encouraged to participate in a collaborative project with ALPO to
chart low-lying dome like structures on the lunar maria. This project was part of the long-running
debate as to whether the lunar surface was formed primarily by volcanic activity or by
bombardment and impact. At the same time we saw the beginnings of the TLP era with the
Aristarchus observations of Greenacre and Barr during the USAF mapping programmes and the
Russian spectroscopic observations of Alphonsus by Kozyrev. During the 1970s the main thrust of
the Lunar Section observational programme was to catalogue TLP events and some occultation
work. There seemed to be no interest in publishing classical lunar drawings in a way that had been
achieved in The Moon. In any case the method of reproduction was a big issue. The LSC was
produced by ink duplication methods and, mainly being text, this was adequate. That is not to
diminish the monumental efforts of one person, Peter Foley, who turned the duplicator handle for
many years.

However in the early 1980s I felt that there was still a need for a vehicle to publish drawings within
the Section, even though their scientific value had been drastically reduced. I believed that new
observers joining the BAA would firstly try their hand at drawing features of the moon, and they
were encouraged to do so by the BAA. If there were no means of these observers seeing their
efforts published by the Section then they might be discouraged from further participation. I
reasoned that only by regularly observing the ever-changing illumination of the lunar surface could
observers become competent enough to declare that glows and brightenings, which comprised the
majority of TLP sightings, were unusual events. The Section needed experienced observers for
every aspect of its programme. A publication showing the drawings and photographs made by
members was required.

I was intrigued by some of the unsolved topographic queries found in the pages of The Moon,
especially the observations made by Brian Warner at Mill Hill. I thought that I could use these as
examples to interest Section members in restarting topographic studies. I wrote an article about the
existence of the Hypatia rille on the Mare Tranquillitatis and submitted this to Geoff Amery, the
then Section Director, for publication in the LSC. Geoff’s primary interest was in occultation work

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but he was delighted to see that there was still an interest in topographic studies and promptly
published the article and invited me to coordinate a sub-section. I agreed and soon suggested that
we reintroduce a publication to support this sub-section. This time we would use the latest
photocopying techniques in order to reproduce drawings faithfully. I hoped to rally sufficient
interest amongst the membership, old and new, to support this suggestion. I was lucky enough to
have the support of my local astronomical society (Lancaster and Morecambe) and in particular
Peter Wade who helped hugely. Peter and I wrote a paper for the BAA Journal about floor heights
in the lunar craters Phocylides and Nasmyth (again an old topographic query found in the pages of
The Moon). I wrote to as many of the older members as I could find to ask them for support in
resurrecting The Moon. I was greatly encouraged that everybody responded favourably (Patrick
Moore, Leslie Ball, Keith Abineri, Alan Heath and eventually Harold Hill). I was particularly
pleased by a reply from the granddaughter of F.H. Thornton, the editor of The Moon in the 1950s.
He was over 90 at the time, and he wished us every success. New observers came forward and I
made an important contact in Rob Moseley from Coventry (who eventually took over from me as
editor when I resigned to take on the Directorship of the BAA Deep Sky Section). The New Moon,
as we titled the publication, had a production run of 100. The vast majority of these were subscribed
to by individuals. We decided to publish as much material as we could attract. This came in
regularly and we were confident that that the magazine would be successful. Our main achievement
was to bring the renowned Harold Hill back into the spotlight. He was at that time working alone on
his lunar polar mapping project. Although sceptical at the outset as to our possible success, he
eventually contributed on a regular basis. Indeed I believe he needed The New Moon as much as we
needed him.

There was a small dark cloud on our horizon however. When Geoff Amery retired as Director and
Peter Foley took over he placed more emphasis on the TLP programme and there was not as much
support for the continuation of The New Moon. Peter wanted to incorporate the contents of the
magazine into the LSC. However the LSC was still being ink-duplicated and the problems with the
reproduction of drawings would reappear. Rob had taken over as editor by this stage and to his
credit he insisted that we should continue to publish the magazine in its original format. There
followed a dispute which culminated in Rob producing (with my agreement) a ‘rogue’ issue, which
we funded from our own pockets. That provoked a huge debate on the BAA Council. Eventually all
agreed that the magazine should continue to be published. To the Section’s great credit it has
continued to publish the magazine with a whole host of new editors, with new observers
contributing right up to Volume 19 in 2010. Rob eventually passed on the editorship but still
retains an interest in seeing a bright future for the magazine. My thanks go to all who supported the
reintroduction of a magazine for observers of the Moon at a time when it seemed that no one was
looking.

The section today looks very different to how it operated in the 1980s. Within the observing
programmes today great emphasis is placed on topographic studies. The advent of electronic
publishing has enabled the drawings to be seen as they were originally produced. The combination
of new observations and comparisons with archive observations and spacecraft imagery makes for
compelling reading. The Lunar Section under Bill Leatherbarrow (himself one of the old timers)
has come of age and has a very promising future. I only wish I could draw what I see on the lunar
surface!

-oOo-

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CASSINI AND SCHRÖTER’S VALLEY

Ivano Dal Prete

It has been known for decades that Schröter's Valley (Vallis Schroteri) was not first seen by the
German astronomer Johannes Hieronymus Schröter. Indeed, in volume XV of Christiaan Huygen's
works the editors reproduced a set of 3 sketches of the Moon, where the Dutch astronomer explores
a few long and narrow features on the surface of our satellite1; two of them can be easily identified
as the crater Hyginus and its rima, and the so-called ‘Straight Wall’ (Rupes recta). The remaining
one depicts an ‘irregularly curbed ditch’ that according to the editor, might be either part of
Schröter's Valley or of the border of Sinus Iridum.2 A few decades later, Ewen Whitaker had no
doubts that Huygens recorded the central and north-eastern part of Schröter' Valley,3 and this
certainly seems to be the most likely interpretation of the sketch. As it is dated May 5th 1686,4
Huygens's observation has been considered until now the earliest known record of that remarkable
lunar feature.

Recent research conducted in the library of the old Observatory in Paris, however, has shown that
Schröter's Valley had already come under the close scrutiny of G.D. Cassini almost one year earlier.
A keen lunar observer, the Italian astronomer published in 1679 a famous map of the Moon.
Though the pages of his observing journal for the following years are mainly concerned with Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, their satellites and the zodiacal light, he still turned his telescopes to the Moon from
time to time, focusing on high-resolution studies of features of particular interest. On the night of
July 13th 1685, between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m., he caught an uncommon sight in the region of
Aristarchus: besides the familiar shapes of craters Aristarchus and Herodotus, Cassini also sketched
a fairly accurate and detailed view of the serpentine line that one century later came to be known as
Schröter's Valley [Figure 1]. Cassini observed it first with a very long focus, 100-foot telescope and
later with his favourite instrument, the excellent 34-foot Campani lens used to determine the
rotation periods of Mars and Jupiter5.

Quite interestingly, the notes accompanying that sketch liken Schröter's Valley to a ‘river seen in
the Moon’, and there is reason to believe that the astronomer was not using these words
metaphorically. It appears that his interest in the feature was linked to the study of the brightness
changes he happened to observe in Aristarchus, Herodotus and the surrounding region, and to the
hypotheses he was formulating to explain them. On the following night, he observed the same
region again around 11:00 p.m., remarking that ‘Aristarchus had a nebulosity stretching towards the
nearby spot [Herodotus], and it spread around Aristarchus itself and that spot’ [Figure 2]. On the
night of July 16th Cassini did not draw Schröter's Valley, but he noted that Aristarchus was ‘entirely
covered with a nebulosity, extending beyond the nearby spot’. He did not observe the region again
until November 22nd, under entirely different illumination as it was just a few days before New
Moon: the ‘stream on the Moon’ was still there, a fairly easy object for his 34-foot lens.

I could not find any further references to Schröter's Valley in Cassini's observing journal, but my
survey has been limited to a few years before and after 1685; it is thus possible, and maybe even
likely, that the astronomer had seen this feature before. As a matter of fact, his remarks do not show
any surprise at what he was observing; moreover, on the night of the first observation he seemed to

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be already convinced that what he saw was a river on the Moon, and it does not seem likely that he
would determine that on the spot. He clearly thought there were places on the Moon able to support
a cycle of water, with rainfalls and the formation of clouds and rivers, and that these phenomena
were responsible for the anomalous appearances of Aristarchus and the surrounding region.

Even though Cassini never published these observations and remarks, they must have had a certain
circulation as I could find references to them in contemporary works, scientific correspondence and
manuscripts. They outline an interesting and almost unknown chapter in the history of 17th-century
controversies on the plurality of worlds, which I will discuss in detail in a forthcoming paper. On
the other hand, there is no evidence so far linking Cassini's observations with those carried out by
Huygens only a few months later. While it seems plausible that the Dutch astronomer started
observing stream-like features on the Moon as a reaction to Cassini's findings, Huygens' published
correspondence bears no evidence of that. If he knew about Cassini's observations, he certainly
remained unconvinced of the interpretation of his Italian colleague and possibly even of the
reliability of the observations themselves. As Huygens concluded in his posthumous Cosmotheoros
(1698), dealing with the habitability of the Moon: ‘Nor do I believe that there are any Rivers, for if
there were, they could never escape our sight, especially if they run between the Hills as ours do.
Nor have they any Clouds to furnish the Rivers with Water. For if they had, we should sometimes
see one part of the Moon darken’d by them, and sometimes another, whereas we have always the
same prospect of her’.6

-oOo-

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PLATE 1.1
-CASSINI AND SCHRÖTER’S
VALLEY

Images of the relevant pages
from Cassini’s original
observing book.

At left the Aristarchus region-
July 13th 1685, between 9:00
and 10:00 p.m.

Below notes made on following
evening, July 14th 1685.

"Images reproduced with the permission of the Observatoire de Paris".

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PLATE 1.2
-CASSINI AND SCHRÖTER’S VALLEY

Figure 1 - left

Enlarged Detail - Cassini’s
drawing of the Aristarchus
region-July 13th 1685,
between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m

Figure 2 – right

Enlarged detail - On
the following night,
[July 14th] Cassini
observed the same
region again around
11:00 p.m.,
remarking that
‘Aristarchus had a
nebulosity stretching
towards the nearby
spot [Herodotus],
and it spread around
Aristarchus itself .
.and that spot’.

"Images reproduced with the permission of the Observatoire de Paris".
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THE PROCLUS ILLUSION

Phil Morgan

The exceedingly bright crater Proclus is situated on the highland terrain that marks the boundary
between the Mare Crisium to the east, and to the west the Palus Somnii. This small (28km) crater
has been described by some as being exceeded in brightness only by Aristarchus. The inner
ramparts are streaked with dark bands and rise in places on the eastern side to over 2,400 metres
above the rough floor.

It is probably the extensive ray system associated with Proclus that, given the right conditions,
makes the crater so eye-catching, particularly around Full Moon. These have been the subject of
much conjecture in the past. They appear to be highly unsymmetrical, supposedly completely
absent to the west, and this has led some to claim that Proclus is the result of a highly oblique
impact, with the projectile coming in low from the southwest.

However, I believe that there are several factors, overlooked in the past, that argue against this
interpretation. Figure 1 is an Apollo (south at top) overhead view of Proclus, and this shows the
crater to be a fairly normal looking, symmetrical hexagonal-shaped crater. There is no real evidence
in this image that this crater is the result of an oblique impact.

The southwest rampart of Proclus is very low, and observationally it sometimes appears as though
lava has spilled out of the crater at this point onto the Palus Somnii. Note in Figure 1 the appearance
of what looks like two channels running out of the crater at this point. Early observers saw the more
westerly of these as a craterlet, but this doesn’t appear to be the case. If lava did spill out of Proclus
here, could it have destroyed any evidence of rays crossing the Palus Somnii? In this respect it is
interesting to read what Walter Goodacre had to say in his book The Moon: ‘Faint extensions of the
rays can be traced some distance across M. Crisium as well as N. and S, but none exist from Proclus
to the E. (Classical). If any ever existed in that direction, they have disappeared under the outflow
of material from the Palus Somnii.’

There is of course one fly in the ointment as far as this theory goes, and it is a very big one. The
geological age for Proclus is given as Copernican, and that is from 1.1 billion years ago while the
geological age for the Palus Somnii is as far back as pre-Imbrium, from 4.55 to 3.55 billion years
ago! But how much can we rely on these figures, and do they apply to the whole of the Palus
Somnii?

Figure 2 is an image taken by Bob Pilz just before Full Moon, and it shows well the Proclus ray
system. Note that the brightest section of the Palus Somnii is where it borders the mare
Tranquillitatis. As we move closer to Proclus it actually darkens, the darkest spot being adjacent to
the low point in the Proclus southwestern rampart. This is precisely the opposite of what we would
normally expect.

Could this darker region close to Proclus represent some later volcanic activity that has obliterated
some of the rays? Probably not, but it is interesting to note that this darker area borders the brightest
of the Proclus rays that fan southeast to northwest, and these run along the top of a low ridge that
marks the eastern edge of the Palus. It seems a remarkable coincidence that these rays landed
preferentially just along the summit ridge, and no further to the west. Could it be that (up to a point)

13

we are seeing an illusion brought about by contrast, the contrast of the bright high ground and the
darker low ground that borders the eastern edge of the Palus?

Another consideration to take into account when studying the asymmetrical nature of the Proclus
ray system is the fact that the crater itself has formed on the edge of a ridge that slopes towards the
Palus Somnii. Because of this the crater itself dips in that direction. So any ray material ejected to
the Mare Crisium side would have a much higher angle of trajectory, and would therefore travel
much further than any thrown out on to the lower Palus Somnii side.

Figure 3 is a high contrast version of the image in Figure 2. Notice that the Palus Somnii is still
much brighter than the dark lava plains of the Mare Crisium. Any faint rays crossing the Palus
would be much more difficult to detect than if they were on a dark mare surface. The dark
contrasting eastern edge of the Palus shows up well, and the brightest ray that runs to the southwest
from Proclus is exaggerated by having several bright high hills along its length. Once again we are
seeing a contrast effect. Note also that low ridges apparently block the ray that strikes directly east
from Proclus before it can reach the central parts of the Mare Crisium. This indicates that even to
the east the ray material was ejected at a comparatively low angle to the surface.

Figure 4 is a high contrast LROC wide-angle camera image that shows just how rough the surface
of the Palus Somnii is compared to the much smoother high ground to the east. Any ray material
ejected at a lower angle to the west would soon have been blocked and broken up by the numerous
ridges and hills in close proximity to Proclus.

So taking everything above into consideration, is Proclus he result of an oblique impact that
scattered its rays mostly to the east? Personally, I have my doubts. The ‘zone of avoidance’ or sharp
cut-off of ray material to the west is exacerbated by the darkening of the Palus Somnii towards its
eastern edge, and this is compounded by the fact that Proclus rays appear to be strewn over a low
ridge that that borders the Palus, and that on its own would have been brighter than its surroundings
anyway.

So is it possible to detect any faint rays crossing the Palus Somnii? I believe that it is possible to
just discern some faint vestiges of ray material on the surface here, but it is difficult to say if they
originate from Proclus or not and, as mentioned above, any such rays would likely to have been
blocked and broken up before travelling very far from their parent crater by the numerous low
ridges and hillocks that cover the surface here.

Editorial note:
Phil Morgan’s paper offers an interesting alternative to the usual view of Proclus as the result of an oblique
impact. Moreover, it is an interpretation based upon the sort of careful close analysis of local topography so
characteristic of Phil’s work. There is much more to be done in this area. For example, it would be useful to
attempt supersaturated colour imaging of the Palus Somnii in order to try to establish if it is a discrete feature
or merely a part of the mountainous terrain surrounding Mare Crisium made to appear different by contrast
with the bright ejecta from Proclus. Also, with reference to the point made in paragraph 3 of Phil’s paper, it
is worth bearing mind that it is only when a projectile impacts at a highly oblique angle does it make a
significant difference to the shape of the crater it creates.

-oOo-

14

Plate 2.1- THE PROCLUS
ILLUSION

Figure 1 – above- Proclus –
Apollo image.

Figure 2 – right- An image taken
by Bob Pilz just before Full Moon
showing the Proclus ray system.

15

Plate 2.2- THE
PROCLUS ILLUSION

Figure 3 – Above- A high contrast
version of the image in Figure 2. Notice
that the Palus Somnii is still much
brighter than the dark lava plains of the
Mare Crisium.

Above- drawing of Proclus by
the author, banding is evident
on the crater wall under sunset
conditions.

Figure 4 – left- A high
contrast LROC wide-angle
camera image that shows just
how rough the surface of the
Palus Somnii is compared to
the much smoother high
ground to the east.

16

Plate 2.3- THE PROCLUS
ILLUSION

Figure 6. Altitude graph (terrain profile overlay) of a Clementine image.
This shows well the slope downwards of the terrain from the rim of the Mare Crisium (left) towards
the Palus Somnii (right).

Figure 7. False colour height and slope map of Proclus produced with the Iliads software tool.
http://pub.lmmp.nasa.gov/LMMPUI/LMMP_CLIENT/LMMP.html
The depth of Proclus on this map is 2,573 metres and this is in close agreement with the usually
quoted figure of 2,600 metres. The difference in the height of the North-East and South-West
ramparts of Proclus is well shown. This will vary depending on where the two measurements are
taken, but varies roughly between 400 and 620 metres. This equates to a general slope of the
circumference of the Proclus rim towards the Palus Somnii of 1 to 1.5 degrees. My thanks to John
Moore (Ireland) for his invaluable assistance in producing these last two images.

17

SHALLOW LOW CONTRAST LINEAR FEATURES ON THE MOON

Mike Brown
[In the following notes Mike Brown describes his observations of two peculiar linear structures
adjacent to the Straight Wall and the Sosigenes rille. The nature of these features defies immediate
explanation, and it would be useful to look out for further similar examples – Eds]

1. Rupes Recta Linear Feature

I started photographing the Moon in the mid-1960s with little success and it was only in 1998, when
I converted to digital imaging, that I started to realise my ambitions of capturing fine detail on the
Moon.

I first came across the feature running from Rupes Recta in the direction of Arzachel on my image
taken on 21 September 2000 at a fairly low resolution, and I barely noticed its existence. All
images show south at the top.

A further image, taken on 15 September 2006 [figure 1] at a higher resolution, made me wonder
why this feature did not appear on any of the lunar maps in my possession. I did find an image,
taken by Wes Higgins (USA) under sunset conditions, which showed only part of the feature.
Discussions with the Director, Peter Grego and Nigel Longshaw revealed that maps of the area by
Goodacre and Wilkins showed only two dotted lines with no other detail, but Fauth's map (sheet 8-
s) did show some detail as observed with his 15.5-inch refractor. Precisely what has caused this
formation is open to speculation, although it does appear to me from my images that some form of
disruption in the Straight Wall itself is a likely cause.

The colongitude of the Sun is a major factor in the visibility of the feature, which is best at around 8
degrees for sunrise and 185 degrees for sunset. This explains why it has been so infrequently
observed and imaged, as do its shallowness, low contrast and the fact that it runs approximately
from east to west, thus giving rise to little or no shadow.

Further images/observations of this area by the Director, Peter Grego, Simon Kidd and Christian
Arsidi (which also shows the finest resolution) reveal considerable detail that confirms or exceeds
the detail shown on my own image of 12 September 2009 [Figure 2]. (I should add that a major
factor inhibiting my own observations is the York seeing, which rarely exceeds 4/10 on the
Pickering scale.)

The partial image of the linear feature shown in Figure 3 is quite informative and it both confirms
and adds to the detail that I have been able to image myself.

For the observation shown in Figure 4 the Sun's colongitude was about 186 degrees – just about
ideal for showing the whole of the feature – and it is a great shame that seeing was so poor (2/10)
on that occasion. The scalloping of the elliptical NE end of the feature is quite clearly captured,
though whether this is part of the feature itself is not clear because a crater sits right across it and is
probably a later event.

18

In comparing these images with Fauth's chart of the area (Figure 5) it seems that some of Fauth’s
placing of detail is inconsistent with the photographic evidence. For example Fauth shows the linear
feature stopping short of Rupes Recta whereas the images clearly show that it joins an apparent
breach in the fault. However, visually this is a very difficult object and only Fauth with his 15.5-
inch refractor has resolved any detail at all.

This is where the advantages of imaging with digital equipment become apparent in terms of
increased resolution. Imaging of this area under both rising and setting lighting is required, as
further detail may emerge. A recent image taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter WAC
(Figure 6) shows part of the Rupes Recta linear feature at a resolution some six or more times
greater than the best Earth-based amateur images, but only under the lighting conditions prevailing
at the time. Whilst it does give a very firm clue as to what has happened in the area of Rupes Recta
itself, it doesn't throw any light on the NE extremities of the feature.

2. Suspected Linear Feature Crossed by Rima Sosigenes

I imaged this feature on 20 February 2010 and again can find no trace of it on any maps. It is much
more delicate than the Rupes Recta linear feature and is highlighted by the red arrow on the image
(Figure 7). More observations and images are needed to confirm the reality of this very faint object,
the detection of which is very dependent on the Sun's colongitude, which in this instance was 352.2
degrees.

Both of these formations are worthy of further observation and imaging to confirm what has already
been described. Observation is rendered more difficult because of the delicacy of the features and
the relatively short space of time during which they are evident. But only through such sustained
observation will their true nature be revealed.

-oOo-

19

Plate 3.1-SHALLOW LOW
CONTRAST LINEAR
FEATURES ON THE
MOON

Figure 1 – left-
Rupes Recta and
Rima Birt 05.05
U.T. 21.09.2000,
37cm
Newtonian,
Clave Aplantic
Barlow, 0.04 sec.
F12, seeing 4/10,
transparency
9/10, Starlight
Xpress HX516.

Figure 2

20

CONTRAST LINEAR
FEATURES ON THE MOON

Figure 3

Figure 4.

21

CONTRAST LINEAR
FEATURES ON THE
MOON

Figure 5 – left-
section of Fauth’s
chart.

Figure 6 – below.
'NASA LROC WAC
image'

Figure 7- left-Julius
Caesar and assorted
Rimae 18:27 U.T.
20.02.2010, 10 inch
Newtonian F9.36,
AE Apo Barlow
working at F14,
Baader red and Infra
rd blocking filters 15
frames, Imaging
Source
DMK31AF03 mono
video camera, 30fps
1/30 sec. Seeing 5.5-
6.5/10, transp: 10/10

22

ASTRONOMICAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE: THE CRISIS IN
AMATEUR ASTRONOMY

R.A. Rosenfeld
In retrospect, the 17th and 18th centuries can justly be termed the first golden age of selenography.7
It was notable for the amateur contribution, including the signal and diverse achievements of
Hevelius (1611-87),8 the Eimmarts (Maria Clara 1676-1707, and her father Georg Christoph 1638-
1705),9 and John Russell (1745-1806).10 Hevelius’ published selenographical magnum opus
(1647)11 appears to have been widely disseminated, and was influential in his day, and well into the
next century.12 The Eimmarts’ selenography (ca. 1677-1707) seems to have been of only local
significance resulting in few publications, but much of their archive is extant, particularly Maria's
finished drawings. Tragically few of the end products of Russell’s work survive – the beautiful
gores (ca. 1797-1806), ingeniously mounted ‘Selenographia’ globes (1797), and the two accurate
and beautiful full moon engravings (ca. 1805) – but many of his preliminary sketches reside today
at the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford.

Enough certainly endures to ensure the respective positions of these individuals in the present
narrative of selenographical history; yet Chronos’ fire, rust and indifference have consumed much
of what they produced, along with their tools and the diverse sites of their selenographical labours.
We lack Hevelius’ lunar log-books, sketches at the eyepiece and his actual equipment; the
Eimmarts’ equipment and some of their records are gone, as is Russell's equipment and doubtless
some states of his prints and gores, as well as other documents. It is probably worthwhile asking
how our chronicle of the crucial amateur role in selenology might be differently nuanced if these
had survived. Different answers are possible; some may lead to different queries of the paper
survivors, yet none possess certainty.

If much from the major figures of the inaugural golden age of selenography has been lost to us,
what about the lunar observing remains of those who have left scant trace in our standard surveys?

Contemporary with the work of Hevelius, the Eimmarts and Russell were the European settlers and
explorers of Nouvelle-France, whose conquests under political vicissitudes became the British
province of Quebec and the crown colony of Nova Scotia (other designations came in and out of
use). The architectural vestiges of military and naval installations, religious institutions and
merchant activity can still be found on the ground. These are the tough footprints of history. It is not
often realised, or is recalled less often than it should be, that those who were trained for colonial
service in the armed forces, the church or commerce had received training in the practical lunar
science of the day. In our terms, when they made use of the Moon through observation for
navigation, or for confessionally inspired ethnographic record, they were functioning as amateur
astronomers, lunar observers. Their navigation through lunar observations and terrestrial longitude
determination through lunar phenomena were part of the same broad enterprise as Hevelius’
cartographic programme (or, to cite one of many professional projects, Tobias Mayer’s tables), and
their ethnographic investigations into the first-nations’ lunar nomenclature can be seen as an
extension of the European interest in ‘mapping and naming the Moon’. The Jesuit Relations and
related documents attest to this interest and activity.13 It should also be recalled that works
conveying the fruits of European selenography circulated in the new world.14 In truth, all we have
are the tattered vestiges of the range of selenology lato sensu practised by colonial amateurs of the
period. This is part of the history of the use of lunar observation by amateurs that we can barely
write because the survival of the evidence is so poor. And our present narrative of the history of
lunar study is much the poorer for it.

23

Diminution of historical distance has not brought amelioration. I offer another example, this time
from late in Victoria’s reign. In 1895 a short-lived Lunar Section was actually formed within the
Astronomical & Physical Society of Toronto (the A&PS was a direct predecessor of the RASC – it
is somewhat analogous to the historical relationship between the Liverpool Astronomical Society
and the BAA), and there is local evidence that it engendered much interest and active
participation.15 The scientific remains of all this activity would not come anywhere near to filling a
single C3 or C4 envelope.

Dr. J.J. Wadsworth, an inspector of schools, was a leader within the Lunar Section of the A&PS. He
could be considered a sort of ‘grand amateur’, to use Dr. Allan Chapman’s happy coining, if one
allows adaptation of the term to the colonial context.16 Wadsworth possessed one of the largest
aperture instruments in amateur hands in the Dominion of Canada at that time, with a 30.75 cm
primary mirror silver-on-glass reflector, equatorial clock-driven mount, complete with photographic
and other accessories. It was housed in a fairly imposing permanent observatory on his estate in the
town of Simcoe.17 An active informal group of Simcoe County Selenographers formed around his
observatory, an intriguing number of whom were female (again one thinks of comparisons with the
Liverpool Astronomical Society).18 Even granted that their work was of only local significance, like
that of Maria Clara Eimmart, it is nonetheless a great tragedy that their selenographical remains
comprise but a few lunar photographs, lunar topographical watercolours, letters and papers – barely
enough to be counted on the fingers of both hands. Nothing of Dr. Wadsworth’s equipment or
observatory survives (had he worked in Great Britain, there is a much greater chance that they
would have – the BAA has one of the best records in the world for the retention, preservation and
active scientific ‘recycling’ of good historical equipment).

The lesson here is a sober one. The realia of astronomy, the physical things with which
professionals and amateurs make astronomy – the instruments, the material records, the incarnate
modes of data transmission, and the creative concrete moulding of all that by the wider culture – all
these are fragile; and surprisingly fragile.

Are the records, equipment and collections of significant amateurs worth keeping? Is there value in
the amateur contribution? Many rightly point to the work of colleagues in the BAA Jupiter Section,
and confidently answer ‘yes’.19 It is not hard to make the claim for the Lunar Section on several
fronts. The late Harold Hill’s endeavours to make up for deficiencies in the unmanned and manned
lunar mission photographic coverage of the Moon shows that until recently one could do basic
research with the skilled use of modest equipment and a supreme mastery of traditional recording
media.20 Professionals and amateurs involved in positional and dynamical astronomy still value
good data gathered by competent amateur observers of occultations.21 Even basic inventorying,
characterisation and rational classification of banded craters, rilles, rays, high-albedo swirls, domes,
floor-fractured craters, dark-haloed craters, etc. are outstanding desiderata to which amateurs can,
could and should make scientific contributions.22 Professional selenographers still require the
amateur contribution to their science, as witness the NASA LCROSS Amateur Observation
Campaign (given what transpired, one must still acknowledge that negative data is still data) and the
highly successful Moon Zoo.23

Another justification for preserving the records and equipment of amateur astronomers is to
preserve the historical record of astronomy. The realia, the vestiges of amateur astronomical
activity are more generally important, because amateur activity is equally part of the fabric of past
and present-day astronomy, a potent and diverse cultural mix made up of the very old and the very
new, woven by everybody from the casual recreational astronomer to the professional cosmologist
modelling the Planck Epoch. The full story cannot be told simply by stringing together the big
names and the big discoveries.24

24

How bad are things? Surely long-established amateur groups exist which take their preservation
responsibilities seriously? For the most part this can be affirmed for the BAA, ALPO, the OAA, and
the AAVSO. Preserving their observational archives is part of the lifeblood and raison d’être of
these organisations. It is salutary to remember that within the last century the valuable records of
the AAVSO, and of some of the observing sections of the BAA, were subjected to threats of loss,
and not always from external sources.25 As an ancient Aristotelian might say, stability is hard to
find in the sublunary realm.

How bad are things? World-wide professional efforts to tackle the same issues are less than three
decades old.26 The drive to catalogue, preserve, store and digitise observatory glass-plate collections
world-wide in a coordinated fashion is relatively recent.27 In the year 2000 the IAU at its 24th
General Assembly in Manchester passed a resolution in favour of safeguarding photographic plates
(IAU Resolution B3, 2000) in response to a growing realisation of a growing problem (the
resolution was in answer to IAU Recommendation C13 [1991] and was not passed without a fight),
and it also created a body to coordinate and monitor efforts to preserve photographic plates
(Division XII Commission 5 WG Task Force on Preservation & Digitization of Photographic
Plates).

Similar IAU efforts have been launched in regard to historical instrumentation, libraries, archives,
historic radio astronomy and astronomical landscapes, although only the last shows any sign of
vigour.28 There are, of course, many more local or national projects unaffiliated with wider
astronomical preservation initiatives or institutions, which have enjoyed varying rates of success;
apparently the 2006 restoration of the historic National Observatory of Athens has turned out well –
readers will recall that the great Julius Schmidt (1825-1884) directed the observatory in the mid to
later nineteenth century.29

Have there been any comparable efforts launched to preserve the historic material basis of amateur
astronomy? No. Before looking at possible solutions to the problem, it would be useful to cast a
wary eye over the difficulties peculiar to the amateur situation.

Personal amateur observatories, and the libraries, collections and archives attached to them are by
their very nature more transient than professional or amateur institutions. There is no built-in
continuity generated by institutional momentum for the observatory which is built and operated by
the lone astronomer in the family.

At present, we have no international structures to develop codes of best practice, or to ensure that
any protocol which is developed is not abused.

How does one determine what to catalogue, preserve, or make available from among the widely
spread and numerous amateur realia? Should the aim be to preserve representative examples of
widely used equipment, books, art and structures, or just the unusual examples which have merit?
What is ‘merit’? Who decides? Or should effort be spent solely on the equipment and records of
amateurs who were significant in the world of astronomy? Who decides on what is significant? And
who pays for all this?

Finally, and most importantly, there is the issue of private property. One cannot barge into a private
observatory in, say, Selsey, Sussex, and announce: ‘Hi, you’re important to the history of modern
astronomy, so we’re going to document your equipment, catalogue your library, copy your images,
and here are the questions for your exit interview – and, by the way, what’s for lunch?’. If by some
miracle, access is granted to any private observatory for documentary purposes, it is by way of
being a privilege, and not a right.

25

Can I propose any easy solutions? No. What I would like to see is amateurs and amateurs’
organisations at least talking about the problem of the ‘at-risk’ realia of their astronomical activity.
On an even more personal note, I would urge that the preservation of our observational records in
their original state (or at least digitally) should become a priority. It is well to remember that the
usefulness of first or second generation observational records is not exhausted when the
observations are sent to a central clearing house for reduction.

Feasibility aside, what would an ideal solution look like? The ideal solution would establish
universal protocols for preserving, inventorying and cataloguing, and making accessible the realia
of amateur astronomy. Participation would be entirely voluntary, consultative and transparent. It
would arm amateurs with the right tools to stop the loss of their heritage – a sort of DIY approach.30

An ideal solution would make its own case; people would want to take part because it seemed so
attractive, and the right thing to do.

One of our predecessors said: ‘Many discoveries are reserved for ages yet to come, when the
memory of us will have been effaced’.31 I don’t care whether I’m remembered, but I do care that the
amateur contribution to astronomy is preserved to contribute to the discoveries of our successors.

Acknowledgements: I wish to thank Richard Baum for suggesting I submit a version of my address to the 2010 General
Assembly of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada to The Moon: Notes and Records of the BAA Lunar Section,
Bill Leatherbarrow and his colleagues of the Lunar Section for deeming it fit to print, and Peter Broughton for
commenting on a draft. Any errors that remain are the author’s sole responsibility.

-oOo-

26

VIGNETTES FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF THOMAS GWYN EMPY
ELGER (1836-1897)

Nigel Longshaw

Introduction

The desire for a national astronomical society was fulfilled in 1890 with the birth of the British
Astronomical Association (BAA), which followed closely on the near-collapse of the Liverpool
Astronomical Society (LAS). T.G.E. Elger took a prominent part in this transaction. He had been
president of the LAS and had edited its Journal, regularly submitting reports of observations,
especially of the Moon. Thus when the observing arm of the newly formed association was formed
it was natural he should assume directorship of the Lunar Section.

During his seven years in that position he produced three volumes of Memoirs32 in which,
according to his successor Walter Goodacre, ‘the results of many amateur observers will be found,
and their content should not be overlooked by anyone taking up the study of the Moon’. Anyone
who has examined these early Memoirs will undoubtedly agree with Goodacre’s comments. It is
apt, therefore, as the current publication takes over from where The New Moon left off, that we
should take the opportunity to reflect on a small portion of the selenographical studies carried out
by our first Director.

There can be little doubt that Elger’s astronomical (and in particular his selenographical) output was
prolific. His better known, but now rare work The Moon, a full description and map of its principal
physical features (1895),33 contains a summary description of what was then known about the
Moon, a useful outline chart and descriptions of the principal features accessible to modest
telescopes, but it is curiously deficient in observational studies by its author. A few examples of
these are to be found in early editions of his ‘Selenographical Notes’34 in The Astronomical Register
and The Observatory, as well as in the BAA Lunar Section Memoirs issued under his directorship,
but scarcely anywhere else.

Knowledge of Elger’s life and interests leads one to expect copious records of his observations, and
indeed several volumes of notebooks are in the possession of the BAA. These were discovered
largely by chance, in the basement of the Bedford Public Library in the summer of 1955.35 They
were passed to Hugh Percival Wilkins (1896-1960), then Director of the Lunar Section, and
presented to the BAA at its Ordinary General Meeting of November 30th 1955. Six volumes were
mentioned containing ‘Elger’s original sketches and a number of drawings executed in water
colours’. Wilkins indicated that, considering the length of time they had been in store at Bedford,
the books were in remarkable condition, though one or two were ‘showing signs of their age’.
Around this time Alan Heath photographed a few pages before the notebooks were deposited in the
BAA library.

In the autumn of 2005 I made a chance remark to the eminent astronomical historian Richard Baum
to the effect that, as a lunar observer, I held Elger in the highest regard. Within a week a selection of
photographic images from Elger’s original notebooks, along with various photocopies, came into
my possession via Alan Heath. The matter took a rather unusual turn when I was fortunate to be the
recipient of a selection of documents from the archive of the eminent selenographer Harold Hill
(1920-2005). On February 5th 2006 I collected a box of Harold’s papers from his son Edward,
amongst which was an envelope containing copies of the original photographic prints made by Alan
Heath, and forwarded to Harold in the early part of 1993. Along with these images were four
27

photocopied pages presumably from volume 1 of Elger’s notebooks. The copy of the cover page
reads as follows;

Thos. Gwyn Elger.
Lunar observations made at
Bedford (Cauldwell Street) and Kempston
1871 - 1883.
From Nov. 6 1881 the drawings were made with an 8½ in. silver on glass reflector by Calver,
before that date with a Cooke refractor of 4 ins. aperture.

To my knowledge little of this original material has been published in the past and it would perhaps
be true to say the lunar enthusiast, as well as those who appreciate the importance of historical
reference material, would welcome the opportunity to have sight of these copy drawings. Two of
them were published as part of Gilbert Fielder’s article in Sky and Telescope May 1962,36 these
being observations of the crater Walter on 1889 March 9th and the Stadius formation on 1885
December 15th. There are fourteen photographs taken by Alan Heath at the time the original
notebooks were discovered, and one photocopy from the original photograph in A. Heath’s
possession, totalling fifteen images in all. I have listed the drawings in date order and compiled
brief notes in relation to the drawings, some of which are taken from Elger’s original observational
notes; otherwise all references are to Rukl’s Atlas of the Moon,37 as this is the most widely available
of the ‘modern’ lunar atlases and enables the reader to make ready comparison with Elger’s notes
and drawings. The following represents a brief summary of these remarkable observational
drawings; the better copies are reproduced to give the interested reader the opportunity to share in
Elger’s passion for the Moon and perhaps to enjoy the drawings as he would have wished.

The Drawings.

1) 1885 September 19th: an original photograph from the notebooks showing two sketches. At the
top of the page there is an outline sketch of Gassendi at sunrise, ‘7h 30m – unsteady definition,
power 284’, the crater filled with shadow. Elger notes: ‘at 7h 10m the highest peak of the central
mountain just in sunlight, at 8h 0m two peaks of central mountain in sunlight’. The second sketch
shows Diophantus and Delisle at 7h 30m – 8h 10m ‘definition variable, power used for drawing
284’. Elger shows the ridge which runs from Mons Delisle to Diophantus (Rukl) and notes with
reference to the drawing ‘the black line between Diophantus and mountain mass is a sharp black
line, representing a “fault”’. Elger also draws the bright ray feature between the two craters shown
in Rukl. Further he shows a tiny crater on the north rim of Delisle that is not shown in Rukl’s atlas,
and he shows another dark linear feature extending north from this crater, which probably
represents the ridge-like structure shown in Rukl.

2) 1885 September 20th: again an original photographic facsimile showing a large drawing of the
crater Marius and its immediate surroundings (reproduced here as Fig. 1), 8h 15m – 9h 30m,
‘definition variable but fair at times. Strong NW wind. Drawing made chiefly with power 284
though 240 was used’. The drawing represents this complex region of the Moon under sunrise
conditions. The main crater is shadow-filled; however, Elger picks up the tiny craterlet H on the SW
outer glacis and he notes the craterlet as ‘distinct though only bright in one place, from it runs a
valley following the circumference of the West wall, where it abuts on the craterlet it is very
delicate, but gradually opens out and becomes more prominent’. Elger shows some of the domes on
the Oceanus Procellarum to the north of Marius, and a curious dome/shallow pit-like structure to the
west (classical style) of the crater, which he refers to as ‘a shallow bowl-like hollow’. This feature
is not indicated on Rukl’s map despite Elger being apparently quite sure of its existence. A further
drawing of the region was made in 1896 March 25th, and formed one of the illustrations in Fielder’s
Sky and Telescope article. This later drawing was made under much lower levels of illumination

28

and does not appear to show the ‘bowl-like hollow’ of the 1885 observation. Elger does, however,
now show the ‘valley’ and craterlet on the outer west wall of the crater as a series of tiny craterlets.

3) 1885 September 21st, 8h 45m – 9h 30m: ‘unsteady definition, slight haze around the Moon at
times, power used 240’. This drawing shows the crater Reiner, some distance from the terminator
such that the central peak and half the crater floor are illuminated. Elger shows the famous feature
Reiner Gamma quite distinctly and describes how ‘the curious bright oblong marking on the ENE
side of it [Reiner] is rhomboidal in shape with an interior somewhat less bright than the borders,
crossed by a streak which extends nearly across it. Its form reminded me of a “Jews harp”’. He
shows a curious alignment of white patches to the south of Reiner, forming the corners and central
points of the longer edges of a rectangle. These do not appear to correspond to anything shown in
Rukl; however, this is the location of the buried ring Reiner R. There is a tiny crater G here, and
Elger’s description of these features reads ‘the six white spots S of Reiner are probably craterlets’.

4) 1885 September 22nd, 9h – 10h: ‘fair definition, cloudy with winds, power 240 used for
drawing’. This is an original photograph taken of the notebook showing an attractive rendition of
the crater Inghirami, and it is reproduced here (Fig. 2). Elger shows the valleys that terminate at the
craters to the south of Inghirami, and also shows linear features extending to the north, which are
located in the Vallis Inghirami region where there are many valleys and groove-like features. He
notes details on the floor of Inghirami that ‘may be rilles or ridges’ and he also notes ‘there is a
central hill to Inghirami A [to the NE (IAU) of Inghirami] according to Neison but I only suspected
it’.

5) 1885 November 15th, 6h – 6h 40m: ‘definition tolerable, but not first rate, power 284’. This is a
drawing and notes relating to Timocharis. Elger records much of what is shown in Rukl, along with
the shallow ‘valley’ on the outer SE glacis He also notes some detail on the NE (IAU) wall which,
he says, ‘I could not definitely make out’. The wall of Timocharis at this point is rather ‘disturbed’
and Elger seems to have noted some of the pits indicated in Rukl. Elger’s drawing does show a
rather curious ‘circular’ dark feature to the south of Timocharis, rather like a bowl-like depression
or a ‘dipping’ of the lunar surface. Rukl does not show anything in this area, and it might be worth
looking out for this feature at some future date to check Elger’s depiction.

6) 1885 November 18th, 8h 30m – 9h 10m, ‘definition variable, fairly good at times, slight haze
around the Moon, frosty, power used 340’: an original photograph of Elger’s drawing of Mairan,
reproduced here (Fig. 3). It is a little difficult to reconcile this with Rukl’s atlas at first, as the latter
shows much which is not recorded by Elger. However Elger’s notes explain the apparent ‘lack’ of
detail and speak for themselves in this instance: ‘the region on the east (west IAU) of Mairan is very
rough and intricate being covered by little hills, craters and crater pits’. He goes on to say ‘Mairan
and its neighbourhood is exceedingly difficult to represent on paper. No drawing can truly give an
idea of the glittering details visible at this stage of illumination and the contrast presented between
the roughness of the country around Mairan and the dark uniform smoothness of the Sinus Roris’.
Anyone who has tried to depict a similar lunar scene will appreciate Elger’s feelings of ‘defeat’ at
trying to portray such a magnificent and detailed view.

7) 1885 December 15th, 6h – 8h 15m, ‘good definition, S winds (slight), power used for drawing
340’: Elger’s Stadius seen under rather advanced illumination, again a rather difficult subject to
study, reproduced here (Fig. 4). Elger notes: ‘when I commenced to observe only three or four
craterlets were to be distinguished in the interior of Stadius but about 7h 30m definition improved
and all those shown on the drawing were steadily seen’. His drawing compares rather well with
Rukl’s atlas in this respect, although some of the craterlets appear to be ‘out of position’ a little. He
notes: ‘It is a rather curious feature of this formation that so many craterlets figure on or about the
borders’. Elger depicts a short linear feature running to the SE (IAU) of the wall of Stadius. Here he

29

appears to have picked out the tiny rille at this location shown in Rukl, but could not record its
rather more difficult ‘turn’ and continuation to the north, no doubt because of lighting conditions.

8) 1885 December 23rd, 9h 0m – 10h 30m, ‘definition very good, sharp frost, moist air, wind N’:
Elger’s drawing and notes of Petavius and Wrottesley. He notes: ‘so cold that I could hardly hold
my pencil, power used for drawing 340’. Drawings of this complex feature are always difficult
because of the amount of detail visible, and Elger has used quite a small scale for his representation.
He shows the central mountain complex and the well-known valley, and notes: ‘details on the floor
were beautifully defined and the great mountain with the ridge running southwards from it was a
very prominent feature’. He depicts the rugged, broken NW (IAU) crater wall and the ridges on the
southern floor. On the southern border of Petavius Elger records ‘a very evident cleft running S
from the border, at times I fancied that there was a cleft or valley (intersecting) parallel to the SE
border’. At this location Rukl indicates an elongated crateriform feature with a terrace line on the
wall of Petavius intersecting this valley NE and SW, and this probably accords with the features
recorded by Elger.

9) 1886 March 17th, 7h 30m – 9h 0m: Great Winding valley by Herodotus (as Elger titles the
drawing). He shows the subsequently named Schröter’s Valley and Herodotus under sunrise
conditions, and was plagued by ‘unfavourable air’. However he writes: ‘was able to see the coarser
details of the object fairly well’, further noting that the ‘floor of Herodotus rather darker than the
country outside’.

10) 1886 April 10th, 8h – 9h: Ariadaeus cleft. Elger notes: ‘clear sky with occasional fog sufficient
to blur minute details’. An early sunrise study around the crater Agrippa (which is shadow filled).
Elger indicates the western portion of the Hyginus rille disappearing into the terminator shadow
west of Agrippa along with the east/west alignment of the ‘connecting’ rille between the Ariadaeus
cleft and the Hyginus rille.

11) 1886 April 12th, 7h 35m – 9h 30m: Stadius. Another observation of this formation, Elger may
have been doing some revisionary work to his earlier observation of 1885 December 15th. This time
illumination is not as advanced, and he shows the extended shadow spires cast by the mountain
mass between Stadius and Eratosthenes extending over the north/south-aligned crater chain which
runs northwards from Stadius. He notes that ‘a number of crater cones in the region east (classical)
of Stadius stood up above the surrounding shade with a curious effect’.

12) 1888 December 12th, 7h 30m – 8h 10m: Tycho (photocopy from the original photograph). A
rather untypical drawing: little detail is depicted, and the whole is rather crudely done. Elger shows
a cleft-like feature running in a north/south direction along the inner west wall of Tycho, with a
sharp bend when it reaches the southern ‘lip’ of the crater; the cleft then continues in an easterly
direction before terminating in a small crater near the formation named Street (Rukl Atlas).

13) 1889 February 12th, 7h 30m – 8h 40m: Cavendish, ‘powers used 284, 340, fair definition’.
Reproduced here (Fig. 5), this drawing indicates the rilles associated with the crater de Gasparis, (to
the SE of Cavendish). However, Elger’s positioning of the objects appears to be somewhat at odds
with that in Rukl’s atlas.

14) 1889 March 9th, 7h 45m – 8h 30m: Walter, ‘power used 340, good definition’. Elger depicts the
obvious ‘rhomboidal’ outline of this large crater, but in a rather exaggerated way. He also depicts a
deep cleft to the south of the formation designated Walter B (double crater); the cleft is not
indicated on the Rukl chart.

30

15) 1889 March 11th, 7h 30m – 8h 45m: Copernicus, ‘very good definition, power used 340’.
Aptly named by Elger ‘the monarch of the lunar ring-mountains’. Reproduced here (Figure 6), this
is one of the drawings which Elger used to illustrate his lecture delivered to the BAA on April 26th
1893. A somewhat ‘stylized’ drawing, this is a notoriously difficult feature to depict with any
realism; but Elger’s drawing captures the essence of the subject, lacking however the overwhelming
detail visible at the eyepiece.

After examination of these drawings I have the overwhelming feeling that Elger’s training as a
technical draftsman is perhaps revealed in the style of his drawings. A figure indisposed to
romanticism, Elger’s world was one of facts and figures and meticulously kept catalogues and
records. This inevitably shows through in his work, which perhaps appears a little ‘mechanical’ in
its rendition. During the course of my research into Elger, his private life and astronomical interests,
I came across a copy paper he delivered to the Bedford Natural History Society in 1882.
Appended to the transcript of his address ‘The Present Condition of the Moon’s Surface’ were two
copy drawings of Plato, apparently rendered in pencil. I have reproduced these here for comparison.
Personally I feel that these pencil sketches are much more delicately executed than his watercolour
drawings of the Moon, but I will leave final thoughts on that with the reader.

Acknowledgements;
My thanks are given to Richard Baum and Alan Heath for their kindness in supplying copied
material from Elger’s original notebooks.

-oOo-

31

Plate 4.1 - VIGNETTES FROM THE
NOTEBOOKS OF THOMAS GWYN
EMPY ELGER (1836-1897).

Figure 1. Marius; 1885 Figure 2. Inghirami; 1885
September 20th. September 22nd.

Figure 3. Mairan; 1885 November
18th.

Plate 4.2 - VIGNETTES FROM THE
NOTEBOOKS OF THOMAS GWYN
EMPY ELGER (1836-1897).

Figure 5. Cavendish; 1889
February 12th.

Figure 4. Stadius; 1885
December 15th.

Figure 6. Copernicus;
1889 March 11th. Figure 7. Two drawings of Plato which
Elger used to illustrate his paper “The
present condition of the Moon’s Surface”
in 1882.

Closing remarks
We hope that the preceding pages have provided examples of the continuing possibilities for
amateur investigations into selenology. Perhaps now this very term encompasses more than it ever
did. The amateur need not feel restricted to investigations into the physical form of the lunar
surface; there is also the opportunity to play a greater role in the re-assessment of the history of
selenography. It is important that records, both observational and those resulting from research of a
historical or scientific nature are preserved as part of our on going and future relationship with the
Moon. Therefore it would be hoped that this publication will become a means by which the results
of these investigations are deposited, disseminated and discussed. In this regard we can only
reiterate the final remarks in the opening editorial and look forward to submissions on a variety of
lunar matters in the coming months. It is hoped that the next issue of ‘Notes and Records’ will be
published in July 2012, and in the meantime we would welcome comments on this first issue.

Bill Leatherbarrow
Nigel Longshaw

Notes and References

CASSINI AND SCHRÖTER’S VALLEY

1 C. Huygens, Oeuvres Complètes (La Haye, Martinus Nijhoof, 1925), vol. XV, p. 158.
2 Ibid., p. 159, footnote 5.
3 E.A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon. A History of Lunar Cartography and Nomenclature (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1999), pp. 75-6.
4 See Huygens, Oeuvres Complètes, vol. XV, p. 158, footnote 4.
5 Bibliothèque de l'Observatoire, Paris, D.3.1-30 (1685).
6 Quoted from an early 18th-century English edition of the Cosmotheoros: C. Huygens, The Celestial Worlds
Discover'd: or, Conjectures Concerning the Inhabitants, Plants, and Productions of the Worlds in the Planets (London:
James Knapton, 1722).

ASTRONOMICAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE
7
Joe Ashbrook’s historical discernment was usually impeccable. A rare and unfortunate misjudgement is his labelling of
the period from 1650-1821 as ‘the “long night” of selenography’: Ashbrook, J. (1984), The Astronomical
Scrapbook: Skywatchers, Pioneers, and Seekers in Astronomy, ed. L.J. Robinson (Cambridge & Cambridge, MA:
Cambridge University Press and Sky Publishing Corporation), pp. 236-44 (article originally published in 1965).
8
North, J.D., ‘Hevelius, Johannes’ in Gillespie, C.C. (ed.) Dictionary of Scientific Biography, vol. 6 (New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons, 1972), pp. 360-64; Habashi. F . ‘Hevel, Johannes’ in Hockey, T. et al. (eds.), Biographical
Encyclopedia of Astronomers [hereafter BEA], vol. 1 (New York: Springer, 2007), pp. 501-3.
9
Klöthi, T. (2007), ‘Eimmart, Georg Christoph’ in BEA, vol. 1, p. 328; Gualandi, A., ‘VII.3.2-5 Maria Clara Eimmart’
in Galluzzi, P. (ed.), Galileo: Images of the Universe from Antiquity to the Telescope (Florence: Giunti, 2009).
10
Ryan, W.F., ‘John Russell R.A. and Early Lunar Mapping’, The Smithsonian Journal of History 1,1 (1966), 27-34.
11
Johannis Hevelii Selenographia: sive, Lunae Descriptio… (Gedani, Autoris sumptibus, Typis Hünefeldianis, 1647).
12
For example, the 1754 lunar map by Thomas Jefferys (ca. 1719-71), Geographer to George III, uses Hevelius’
nomenclature; Society of Gentlemen, A New and Complete Dictionary of Art & Sciences. Vol. 3 (London: W. Owen,
1754-55), plate 182. This is doubtless a representative of the class of lunar cartography John Russell found so

34

wanting (it is far from the worst).
13
On lunar observation for positional astronomy see, for example: Thwaites, R. Gold (ed.). The Jesuit Relations and
Allied Documents. Vol. 5: Québec 1632-1633 (Cleveland: Burrows Brothers, 1898), p. 97; Vol. 23: Hurons, Québec,
Iroquois 1642-1643 (1898), p. 177; Vol. 54: Iroquois, Ottawas, Lower Canada 1669-1671 (1899), p. 239; Vol. 64:
Ottawas, Lower Canada, Iroquois 1689-1695 (1900), pp. 115-17; Vol. 68: Lower Canada, Crees, Louisiana 1720-
1736 (1900), pp. 255-7. On observations of lunar influence on the tides see: Thwaites (ed.), The Jesuit Relations.
Vol. 59: Lower Canada, Illinois, Ottawas 1667-1669 (1899), p. 97. On ethnoastronomy: Vol. 15: Hurons, Québec,
1638-1639 (1898), p. 155; Vol. 58: Ottawas, Lower Canada, Iroqouis 1667-1669 (1899), pp. 177-83; Vol. 68: Lower
Canada, Crees, Louisiana 1720-1736 (1900), p. 85. A good starting place for exploring some of this material, with
an emphasis on finding the longitude, is: Broughton, P., ‘Astronomy in Seventeenth-Century Canada’, Journal of the
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 75, 4 (1981), 175-208.
14
For the Connaissance des Temps see: Thwaites (ed.), The Jesuit Relations. Vol. 64: Ottawas, Lower Canada, Iroquois
1689-1695 (1900), pp. 115-17; Drolet, A., ‘La bibliothèque du Collège des Jésuites’, Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique
française 14, 4 (1961), 487-544, at p. 513 (number 150). J.F.W. DesBarres (1721-1824), author of the highly
successful Atlantic Neptune (London, 1774-1784), at his observatory at Castle Frederick, Nova Scotia, ‘owned
copies of Jacques Cassini’s Élemens d'astronomie, Nicolas Louis la Caille's Éphémérides…Nevil Maskelyne’s
Nautical Almanac and Tobias Mayer’s astronomical tables’; see MacDonald, B.H., ‘Science and Technology’ in P.L.
Fleming, G. Gallichan & Y. Lamonde (eds.). History of the Book in Canada: Beginnings to 1840 (Toronto &
Montreal: University of Toronto Press and Les Presses de Université de Montréal, 2004), pp. 297-300, at p. 298.
15
Broughton, P., Looking Up: a History of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Toronto & Oxford: Dundurn
Press, 1987), p.139.
16
Chapman, A., The Victorian Amateur Astronomer: Independent Astronomical Research in Britain, 1820-1920
(Chichester: John Wiley & Sons and Praxis Publishing, 1998), p. xiii passim.
17
King, W.F., ‘The Astronomical Equipment of Canada’ in Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Selected Papers and
Proceedings 1902 and 1903 (Toronto: Z.M. Collins, 1904), pp. 52-60, at pp. 58-9, plate opposite p. 61; Broughton.
Looking Up, pp. 138-9; Rosenfeld. R.A., RASC: One hundred and Forty Years of Art and Observation (Toronto:
RASC History Committee, 2008), p. 9.
18
Rosenfeld (2008), p. 14. Some connections between this group and T.G.E. Elger and Walter Goodacre have recently
come to light; the present author hopes to explore these in a subsequent study. The work of the female members of
this group does not appear to have been up to the calibre of that of figures such as Evelyn Whitehead, or Mary
Ashley; Sociedad Astronómica de Barcelona, Exposición General de Estudios Lunares: Catálogo. Boletín de la
Sociedad Astronómica de Barcelona 21 (June-July 1912), 557, 563; Chapman, Victorian Amateur Astronomer, p.
284.
19
Williams, T.R., ‘Amateurs in Astronomy’ in Lankford, J. (ed.). History of Astronomy: an Encyclopedia, Garland
Encyclopedias in the History of Science, Vol. 1 (New York & London: Garland Publishing Inc. 1997), pp. 6-10, at p.
9. It is well known that our scientific record of the Jovian atmosphere would be much, much poorer without the
work of the Section under T.E. R. Phillips and B.M. Peek. An excellent recent overview of the professional
appreciation of the contribution of amateurs to data collection in many areas of astronomy is Boyd, D., ‘Pro-Am
Collaboration in Astronomy – Past, Present and Future’, J. Brit. Astron. Assoc. 121, 2 (2011), 73-90.
20
Hill, H., A Portfolio of Lunar Drawings (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991); Baum, R., ‘Harold Hill and
the South Polar Region of the Moon’, J. Brit. Astron. Assoc. 120, 2 (2010), 86-97.
21
Dunham, D.W. & Riedel, E., ‘Occultations by the Moon’ in Kelly, P. (ed.). Observer’s Handbook 2010 (Toronto:
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 2010), pp. 162-76; Leatherbarrow, W., BAA Lunar Section Observing
Programme (2009), p. 14 at:
(http://www.baalunarsection.org.uk/BAA%20Lunar%20Section%20Observing%20Programme%20v1%20Dec%202
009.pdf), 14.
22
Leatherbarrow, BAA Lunar Section Observing Programme, pp. 6-10.
23
http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/observation.htm; http://www.moonzoo.org/. While one can be grateful for the call to
participate in the latter as a professional vote of confidence in ‘citizen science’, it must be acknowledged that the
impact of such programmes on those active visual and CCD observers attempting to do real selenology has yet to be
assessed. One is reminded of the ordeal of visual comet and supernovae hunters in the 1980s and 1990s with the
advent of CCDs and automated patrols. The capacity of ‘amateurs’ to adapt to major changes in data acquisition
technologies by ‘professionals’ should never be underestimated.
24
Thomas Williams’ thesis – in common with many historical papers in the JBAA down the years – establishes that the
modern phenomenon of amateur astronomy is a worthy subject for the history of science, although our attitudes as
to what constitutes an ‘amateur astronomer’ clearly differ somewhat; Williams, T.R., Getting Organized: a History
of Amateur Astronomy in the United States. Ph.D. thesis, Rice University (2000), pp. 1-20. I am in full agreement
with him on the problem of too few ‘scientific observers’ among amateur astronomers in North America. Too many
amateurs are taking the same pretty pictures, and doing naught else. I view that as another crisis.
25
Saladyga, M., ‘A History of AAVSO’s Headquarters’, JAAVSO 35 (2007), 390-406, at pp. 396-7; Richard Baum,
private communication to the author.
26
The late Cmdr. Derek Howse’s Greenwich List can be taken as a convenient – if arbitrary – starting point: Howse, D.,

35

‘Greenwich List of Observatories: a World-List of Astronomical Observatories, Instruments, and Clocks—1670-
1850’, Journal for the History of Astronomy, 17 (1986), pp. 1-100; Howse, ‘Greenwich List of Observatories: a
World-List of Astronomical Observatories, Instruments, and Clocks—1670-1850. Amendment List No. 1’, Journal
for the History of Astronomy, 25 (1994), 207-18.
27
Conferences and proceedings only commenced about a decade ago; Kroll, P. et al. (eds), Treasure-Hunting in
Astronomical Plate Archives: Proceedings of the International Workshop Held at Sonneberg Observatory, March 4
to 6, 1999, Acta historica astronomiae. Vol. 6 (Thun: Harri Deutsch, 1999); Osborn, W. & Robbins, L. (eds),
Preserving Astronomy's Photographic Legacy. Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series. Vol. 410 (San
Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2009).
28
Division XII Commission 41 WG Historical Instruments, Division XII Commission 5 WG Libraries, Division XII
Commission 41 WG Archives, Inter-Div. X-XII WG Historic Radio Astronomy, Division XII Commission 41 WG
Astronomy and World Heritage.
29
Dobbins, T. & Sheehan, W., ‘Schmidt, Johann Friedrich Julius’ in Hockey, T. et al. (eds), Biographical Encyclopedia
of Astronomers, vol. 2 (New York: Springer, 2007), pp. 1026-27.
30
It has been proposed that the RASC could take a leadership role, but that would best be done working with its
partners, both here and abroad. A practical and relatively uncontroversial first step towards building that DIY kit would
be to produce an accessible guide to the preservation of the astronomical artefacts amateurs own and produce, and the
antique ones we seem to accumulate.
31
‘multa uenientis aeui populus ignota nobis sciet, multa saeculis tunc futuris cum memoria nostri exoleuerit
reseruantur’ (Seneca); see Hine, H.M. (ed.), Naturales quaestiones (Stuttgart: Teubner, 1996), lib. 7, cap. 30, par. 5.

VIGNETTES FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF THOMAS GWYN EMPY ELGER
32
Mem. Brit. Astron. Assoc., 1, part 1 (1891): First report of the Section for the Observation of the Moon; 2, part 2
(1891-3): Second report of the Section for the Observation of the Moon; 3, part 5 (1895): Third report of the Section for
the Observation of the Moon.
33
Thomas Gwyn Elger, The Moon: a full description and map of its principal physical features (London: George Philip
and Sons, 1895).
34
It appears as though Elger initially took up ‘Selenographical Notes’ where W.R. Birt had left off in the Astronomical
Register, following which they appeared in The Observatory between 1883 and Elger’s death in 1897 and comprised
almost 200 editions. These, according to E.E. Both, were ‘... perceptive descriptions of lunar features based on
observations with an 8.5 inch reflector’.
35
J. Brit. Astron. Assoc., 66, 46-7 (1956): Report of the Ordinary General Meeting.
36
Gilbert Fielder, ‘Some lunar studies by T.G. Elger’, Sky and Telescope, 15:4 (May 1963), 248-51.
37
Antonin Rukl, Atlas of the Moon, ed. Gary Seronik (Cambridge, MA: Sky Publishing Corp., 2004).

36

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