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UAI Lunar
Section
TLP program |
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Torricelli monitoring
program
(R. Braga, F. Ferri) February 9 2001 REPORTS and Conclusion Torricelli and Torricelli B Geological map How to find Torricelli B The crater area during the lunation OBSERVING PROGRAM OBSERVING PROGRAM: the REPORTS 
october 2003Other Observations |
Torricelli
B monitoring
February 9 2001: REPORTS
and CONCLUSION
| Observer - locality - instrumentation | Notes |
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Fernando Ferri - Anzio (Rome) refractor D 90 f 11 Or 5
mm seeing: IV Antoniadi |
3.20 UT Torricelli B normal,
no color, blink normal
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| Observer - locality - instrumentation | Notes |
| Concetto
Sciuto Gravina (Catania) SC D 200 f 10 SP 9.7(till 5.10) 206X SP 12.4 161X seeing: III-IV Antoniadi transparenza: excellent |
4.40
UT Torricelli B normal, no color, albedo less then Moltke 5.00 UT seeing worsening: Torricelli B normal, no coloro, albedo maybe increased a little but less then Moltke 5.08 UT ,Torricelli B normal, no color, albedo as from 4.40 to 5.00 5.25 UT end of observations |
| Observer - locality - instrumentation | Notes |
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Clive
Brook, PAS, Plymouth, UK, 60 mm OG, 120x, 6 mm ortho, seeing Ant. II |
I observed Torricelli area at 5.30 Hrs UT. Weather conditions were favourable with slight haze and thin cirrus cold. seeing good. I had some trouble locating the right area, but could see nothing abnormal. |
BAD WEATHER
| many observers partecipating to the uai lunar section program reported adverse meteo conditions with rain or full overcast: Alessandro Bertoglio, Raffaello Braga, Albino Carbognani, Lorenzo Trumino. |
CONCLUSION
On the basis of the observations received and on others reported on the internet
( http://www.wfs.be.schule.de/pages/torricelli/E_results01.html)
Torricelli B has not shown any kind of anomaly. The crater brightness, appearance
and color have remained normal. Therefore is it very likely that the TLP observed
in 1983 was caused by phenomena different from the simple reflection of sunlight
from the lunar surface. A study in depth of Torricelli B (see
observing program) during the lunations is highly
desirable.
For any question please send an e-mail to Raffaello
Braga or Fernando Ferri
The crater
Torricelli is positioned at 4.6° of latitude S and 28.5° of longitude
E. Its maximum dimension is of 23 Km and has a elongated shape, probably
caused by a partial overlapping of 2 different crater rims that , maybe
due to tectonic activity following the impacts, have merged to form a single
structure. Torricelli is surrounded by a blanket of dark ejecta, making
it a typical example of a dark halo crater, a morphological feature type
that is the object of a specific program ( DHC ) of
the UAI lunar section. To
the NNE of Torricelli there is a bowl shaped craterlet called Torricelli
B (lat 2.6 S, long 29.1 E), also surrounded by a dark halo.
Both these formations (section 47 of Rukl Atlas)
are very interesting for the lunar observer hunting for TLPs
image of Torricelli e
Torricelli B, labelled as T and B,
author: D. Zompatori, Newton D 200 f 6 + webcam, south is up
Torricelli
B has showed in the past many transient phenomena, most of them clearly
spotted or confirmed by expert observers. An account on the most recent
and relevant events can be found in the June 2000 issue of the Journal
of the British Astronomical Association, in the article "The strange
behaviour of Torricelli B", by Marie C. Cook.
There is no convincing explanation of these phenomena (documented also in
1985 by G. North, former BAA lunar section tlp coordinator) so new studies
are necessary using red and ble filters (blink technique) and albedo estimates
taken regularly along the lunation. Photographs and ccd images, taken at
"normal" and "anomalous" conditions, are also of great
value.
The main
crater, Torricelli, is interesting for another reason: some amateur observations
seem to document a probable landslide of the crater walls, in the last 20
years. Some discrepancy on the morphology of the NE inner walls of Torricelli
between drawings made at the late 80s and images fron the Lunar Orbiter
spacecraft have actually been highlighted by amateurs observers. In these
drawings the Ne wall of torricelli seems to have partially slipped towards
the crater floor. Seismographs placed on the Moon by the Apollo missions
did not register any event in this lunar area till 1977 so the landslide
could have occurred after that time and is not impossible that it could
be related to the TLP events above mentioned for Torricelli B.
It is interesting
to compare th Torricelli image from Lo IV in 1967 with a clementine image
in 1994. Even if they were acquired with different methods, photographic
for the LO IV and spectrally centered on 750 nm for Clementine (at high
sun angle), non significant difference in the crater floor morphology is
visible.
Also note in the Clementine 750nm image how Torricelli B has a sharp albedo
dishomogeneity on its floor and walls.
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Images of Torricelli
and Torricelli B (near the bottom slighty to the
left) South is up. Courtesy LPI, PDS NASA |
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GEOLOGICAL MAP OF TORRICELLI AREA
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LEGEND simplified Eratosthenian Ec material mare Em material crater Imbrian Im mare material Ic crater material not diff. It terrae material recent IpIt terrae mat. older Ich catena mat. and cr.clusters Ici crater irregular mat. Ihp hilly mat. pIc crater mat. and subdued ring structures |
Torricelli
B is located about 1 degree NNE of Torricelli, the latter can be spotted even
in the illumination conditions of 9 February 2001 (almost full moon) for its
typical "pear" shape. Torricelli B will not be easy visible because
of the absence of any relief. We advise observers to spot the crater days
before the 9th, in order to be prepared for the event date. Some useful images
are presented below. Also the photographic plates of the Hatfield Photographic
Lunar Atlas are
helpful.
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Wide field lunar view In the box the area
of Torricelli B crater |
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Image taken by Sun height on Torricelli
B: 20° |
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Map of
the Torricelli B (in color) area (courtesy Alpo) |
The
crater area during the lunation
from the Consolidated Lunar Atlas
(courtesy Lunar and Planetary Institute / Universities Space Research Association)
calculations made with the Lunar Observer's Tool Kit
Copyright by: Harry D. Jamieson A.L.P.O. Lunar Coordinator
South is up
 Age 5.9 ill 0.28 colong 340.5 L -6.0 B -2.4 Sun height on Torricelli B= 9.7 Sun azimuth on Torricelli B= 90.7 |
 Age 6.3 ill 0.38 colong 351 L -4.6 B -5.6 Sun height on Torricelli B= 20.2 Sun azimuth on Torricelli B= 89.6 |
 Age 14.1 ill 0.98 colong 78 L +6.3 B -3.6 Sun height on Torricelli B= 72.2 Sun azimuth on Torricelli B= 282.4 |
 Age 17.9 ill 0.90 colong 130 L -2.7 B +3.9 Sun height on Torricelli B= 20.8 Sun azimuth on Torricelli B= 272.6 |
 Age 18.8 ill 0.87 colong 134.3 L -2.5 B -3.0 Sun height on Torricelli B= 16.6 Sun azimuth on Torricelli B= 271.2 |
 Age 18.9 ill 0.83 colong 142.8 L -4.0 B +2.7 Sun height on Torricelli B= 17.9 Sun azimuth on Torricelli B= 271.8 |
We encourage all lunar observers to monitor Torricelli B visually and with ccd imaging, using filters (blink technique: red and blue filters alternated rapidly for color effects identification) and estimating its albedo compared to the surrounding terrain, during the lunations. For Torricelli detailed drawings and good images are needed, using telescopes of minimum 15 cm of diameter. Visual observations and digital images must be provided with Ut date and time, istrumentation and accessories used, imaging and processing parameters.
