I made a plan to hunt for the moon disc in early evening in middle February 2010. It is normally a busy time for most people as folks are getting home from work on the East Coast or making a meal. The waxing crescent is soft to the eyes and low so it often escapes attention unless a person intentionally plans to find it. When it is low like this, it is often shrouded in haze. Nevertheless, it is a pretty sight. This time the dark part of the disc could be detected along with a faint hint of the darker areas or “seas” on the surface. The disc itself, due to the light clouds and haze, revealed a little detail with the small binoculars, but not much.
A few days later I used an 8 inch telescope with astro-video equipment to find and sketch this scene. The magnification is much higher; details on the moon’s surface were much more pronounced. It took a little over an hour to capture the details that you see on the sketch.
Observers generally have a partiality toward bigger equipment and higher magnification of objects. Simpler scenes at lower magnifications are less popular. But which is better?
It reminds me Jesus Christ’s approach to people. He was never swayed by power or acclaim. “Bigness and greatness” never swayed his actions. And, in contrast to our quests of various sorts for fame or distinction, he received, touched, loved, or corrected the smallest to the greatest. His example has affected my observing: I have learned to take whatever scene is before me and appreciate what it offers. So I do appreciate the high magnification and detail of the second sketch, but I as much appreciate the gentle soft appearance of the crescent in haze.
