Lunar Features: More Than Just Craters

Buttonwood Nature Center welcomes guest speaker Steve Berté from the Tri-State Astronomers as we explore the exciting features of Earth's Moon. 
When you think of lunar craters, you may just envision a round formation with a flat bottom encircled by a ridge. In reality, the shapes and sizes of crater rims, floors, and other features are way more varied and interesting than that, not to mention the host of other interesting objects you can see on the Moon that aren't craters.  Even a relatively small telescope of a few inches in diameter can reveal much, so you don't need an observatory sized telescope to enjoy the Moon.  This presentation will showcase the diversity of geologic formations on the surface of the Moon, so when you get a chance to observe it with a telescope, you'll better understand what you see.  The talk will include mention of online and hard copy sources of lunar atlases and information about the Moon.  There will also be a variety of lunar texts and maps on hand for you to look at.
Steve Berté is a retired Army Medical Entomologist and Project Manager.  Although he always had an amateur interest in astronomy, he didn't buy his first telescope until he retired from the Army in 2006.  Since then, he's added a variety of telescopes to his tool kit, installed an observatory in his backyard, and spends a significant portion of his viewing hours studying the Moon.  Steve's interest in and knowledge of astronomy was greatly enhanced by joining an astronomy club (The Tri-State Astronomers) where he could learn from others and share his love of astronomy through public outreach activities with the club.
‘Star Party’ After Program: An opportunity to discover the night sky will be available after the presentation—Tri-State Astronomers will set up several telescopes for observing the skies, weather permitting