Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Friday, July 12th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 17 minutes, setting at 9:27, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:10. The Moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 12:42 tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow night, Saturday, July 13th, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will team up with the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society to host a star party at the Dune Climb from 9 to 11 PM or later. It won’t be a star party only, because the featured attraction will be the first quarter Moon. To my mind, this is the best time to view the Moon, showing its craters with deep shadows near the terminator or sunrise line which crosses the Moon slowly over the month. There are no planets out in the evening, but we do have some interesting stars to look at besides the Moon. And the bright International Space Station will be seen moving from west to northeast, passing through the bowl of the Big Dipper around 10:28 pm.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT–4 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Translations of some lunar feature names according to Virtual Moon Atlas

Mare Crisium – Sea of Crises
Mare Fecunditatis – Sea of Fruitfulness
Mare Frigoris – Sea of Cold
Mare Imbrium – Sea of Showers
Mare Nectaris – Sea of Nectar
Mare Serenitatis – Sea of Serenity
Mare Tranquillitatis – Sea of Tranquility
Mare Vaporum – Sea of Vapors
Montes Alpes – Alps Mountains
Montes Apenninus – Apennines Mountains
Craters are named for persons, real or otherwise.