Welcome!

     I am an amateur astronomer interested in the moon. I use photoclinometry, spectroscopy, and multispectral and hyperspectral imaging as tools to study the geology of lunar features. This site also includes some solar system and deep sky astroimaging, but the emphasis is on the moon.  The average seeing at my observing site at 42.35 N, 71.5 W is about 2.5 arc seconds based on FWHM measurements of stars and only exceptional nights approach 1 arc second seeing.  It is difficult, therefore, to achieve high resolution lunar images...  but I do the best I can.  My main scope for imaging is currently a Mewlon 250 on an EM-200 mount.  In theory it should enable me to image 1 km craters and my best resolution images so far range from 1.0 km to 1.4 km crater resolution. On extra special nights, however, there is always the hope of doing even a little better.  I've imaged parts of the rille in the Alpine Valley, but so far haven't imaged the entire extent of the rille.  When I do, I'll declare myself to be a decent imager.  I use a Celestron 9.25" scope on a Meade LXD75 mount for filter imaging and spectral work.  I am in the process of getting on a waiting list for a Lazzarotti Optics Gladius 315 scope and hope to be using it by the summer of 2008. The Gladius design is specifically optimized for high resolution lunar and planetary imaging and I hope it will lead me to some decent lunar images in the future.  Each area of lunar study that I have been involved with is listed below.  If you would like to know more about one of the topics, choose it from the menu on the left hand side of this page.

Photoclinometry:

Alpha Arago Dome*         Heightmap (DEM)             Dome Model                     Topographic map

* image by Paolo Lazzarotti (GLR Group)                   

Deep Sky Astrophotography:

        Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)             Ring Nebula (M57)                          North American Nebula

Solar System Astrophotography:

                 Saturn                     Lunar Craters                            Jupiter

High Resolution Lunar Imaging: (see lunar album)

My image processing protocol requires Registax 4.0 and Photoshop CS2 with Magic Focus plug-in.

Download Image Processing Protocol: http://www.freewebs.com/revans_01420/ImagingProtocol.pdf 

Lunar Terrain Maps:

                        Terrain Map of Theophilus & Cyrillus

Spectroscopy:

Lunar Broadband Multispectral Imaging:

Processing of Calibrated Clementine UVVIS Images:

     Ratio Image (Tycho Rim)              False Color Image (Tycho Rim)

Principal Component Analysis of Lunar Features:

          Red=1st Principal Component, Green=2nd Principal Component, Blue=3rd Principal Component

Imaging Spectrography (Multi & Hyperspectral)

      500-1000 nm AOTF Camera Adapter                  Spectral match for Olivine

Study of Dionysius West Rim Spectra Using a 9.25" SCT and Multiple UVVIS/NIR Interference Filters:

Mixture Deconvolution:

Extended SWIR (Short Wave Infrared) Imaging:

     Note that olivine is darkest (shows maximum absorption) at 1000 nm.

        Imager: SU320MX Indium Gallium Arsenide Camera

        (900-1700 nm range)

Lunar Sketches:

                       Plato                                  Straight Wall

Contact Information:

If you would like to provide feedback you can contact me at: revans_01420@yahoo.com

Rick Evans

Fitchburg, MA