The Moon
January 2026
🔭
Askar 130PHQ
📷
ZWO 2600MC Pro
🌃
Bortle 8
⏱️
Single photo
🗓️
January 2026
Overview
The Moon is so bright that it easily overpowers light pollution, making it a prime target for urban astrophotographers.
Background
I’m a deep sky astrophotographer, favouring targets like distant galaxies and nebulae, so this is a bit of an odd one for me. I was testing my new StellarDrive X 6R PRO mount in the one patch of clear night sky we’ve had in Bristol recently. Evidently even that was too much to ask for, and cloud started to roll in… The Moon was shining brightly though, and on a whim I decided to take a quick photo. I think the result turned out well, thanks in no small part to my Askar 130PHQ telescope’s superb optics.
Urban Astrophotography art gallery
Images from my astrophotography projects are available as fine art prints and framed pictures.
Explore the field
Features in this view 290 features
290 features
No matching features.
- Copernicus
- Crater
- Tycho
- Crater
- Clavius
- Crater
- Plato
- Crater
- Mare Imbrium
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Tranquillitatis
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Serenitatis
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Crisium
- Mare (sea)
- Sinus Iridum
- Sinus (bay)
- Vallis Alpes
- Valley
- Montes Apenninus
- Mountain range
- Mare Nectaris
- Mare (sea)
- Abel
- Crater
- Abulfeda
- Crater
- Adams
- Crater
- Albategnius
- Crater
- Alexander
- Crater
- Aliacensis
- Crater
- Alphonsus
- Crater
- Amundsen
- Crater
- Ansgarius
- Crater
- Apianus
- Crater
- Archimedes
- Crater
- Aristoteles
- Crater
- Arnold
- Crater
- Arzachel
- Crater
- Atlas
- Crater
- Baco
- Crater
- Baillaud
- Crater
- Balmer
- Crater
- Banachiewicz
- Crater
- Barnard
- Crater
- Barocius
- Crater
- Barrow
- Crater
- Berosus
- Crater
- Biela
- Crater
- Birmingham
- Crater
- Blancanus
- Crater
- Blanchinus
- Crater
- Boguslawsky
- Crater
- Bonpland
- Crater
- Boussingault
- Crater
- Boussingault E
- Satellite crater
- Brenner
- Crater
- Bullialdus
- Crater
- Capuanus
- Crater
- Casatus
- Crater
- Catena Abulfeda
- Crater chain
- Catena Humboldt
- Crater chain
- Catharina
- Crater
- Chamberlin
- Crater
- Clairaut
- Crater
- Cleomedes
- Crater
- Colombo
- Crater
- Condorcet
- Crater
- Curtius
- Crater
- Cuvier
- Crater
- Cyrillus
- Crater
- De La Rue
- Crater
- De Sitter
- Crater
- Demonax
- Crater
- Deslandres
- Crater
- Dorsa Geikie
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsa Harker
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsa Lister
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsa Smirnov
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsa Tetyaev
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsum Buckland
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsum Heim
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsum Oppel
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsum Von Cotta
- Wrinkle ridge
- Dorsum Zirkel
- Wrinkle ridge
- Endymion
- Crater
- Eratosthenes
- Crater
- Euctemon
- Crater
- Eudoxus
- Crater
- Fabricius
- Crater
- Faraday
- Crater
- Fernelius
- Crater
- Flammarion
- Crater
- Fra Mauro
- Crater
- Fracastorius
- Crater
- Furnerius
- Crater
- Gauricus
- Crater
- Gauss
- Crater
- Geminus
- Crater
- Gemma Frisius
- Crater
- Gibbs
- Crater
- Gilbert
- Crater
- Gill
- Crater
- Goclenius
- Crater
- Goldschmidt
- Crater
- Gruemberger
- Crater
- Guericke
- Crater
- Gutenberg
- Crater
- Gärtner
- Crater
- Hagecius
- Crater
- Hahn
- Crater
- Hainzel
- Crater
- Hale
- Crater
- Hanno
- Crater
- Harlan
- Crater
- Hase
- Crater
- Hecataeus
- Crater
- Hecataeus K
- Satellite crater
- Heinsius
- Crater
- Helmholtz
- Crater
- Heraclitus
- Crater
- Hercules
- Crater
- Hipparchus
- Crater
- Hommel
- Crater
- Huggins
- Crater
- Humboldt
- Crater
- Hédervári
- Crater
- Jacobi
- Crater
- Janssen
- Crater
- Jeans
- Crater
- Julius Caesar
- Crater
- Kiess
- Crater
- Klaproth
- Crater
- Kästner
- Crater
- Kästner G
- Satellite crater
- La Caille
- Crater
- La Pérouse
- Crater
- Lacus Bonitatis
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Doloris
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Felicitatis
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Gaudii
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Lenitatis
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Mortis
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Somniorum
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Temporis
- Lacus (lake)
- Lacus Timoris
- Lacus (lake)
- Lagalla
- Crater
- Lamont
- Crater
- Lamé
- Crater
- Langrenus
- Crater
- Le Monnier
- Crater
- Legendre
- Crater
- Legendre K
- Satellite crater
- Lexell
- Crater
- Licetus
- Crater
- Lilius
- Crater
- Longomontanus
- Crater
- Longomontanus Z
- Satellite crater
- Lyot
- Crater
- Macrobius
- Crater
- Maginus
- Crater
- Malapert
- Crater
- Mallet
- Crater
- Manzinus
- Crater
- Mare Anguis
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Australe
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Cognitum
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Fecunditatis
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Frigoris
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Insularum
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Marginis
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Nubium
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Smythii
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Spumans
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Undarum
- Mare (sea)
- Mare Vaporum
- Mare (sea)
- Maurolycus
- Crater
- Mee
- Crater
- Mercurius
- Crater
- Messala
- Crater
- Metius
- Crater
- Meton
- Crater
- Miller
- Crater
- Mons Argaeus
- Mountain
- Mons Bradley
- Mountain
- Mons Malapert
- Mountain
- Mons Mouton
- Mountain
- Montanari
- Crater
- Montes Alpes
- Mountain range
- Montes Archimedes
- Mountain range
- Montes Carpatus
- Mountain range
- Montes Caucasus
- Mountain range
- Montes Haemus
- Mountain range
- Montes Jura
- Mountain range
- Montes Pyrenaeus
- Mountain range
- Montes Recti
- Mountain range
- Montes Riphaeus
- Mountain range
- Montes Spitzbergen
- Mountain range
- Montes Taurus
- Mountain range
- Montes Teneriffe
- Mountain range
- Moretus
- Crater
- Mouchez
- Crater
- Mutus
- Crater
- Nearch
- Crater
- Neper
- Crater
- Neumayer
- Crater
- Newton
- Crater
- Nobile
- Crater
- Nonius
- Crater
- Oken
- Crater
- Orontius
- Crater
- Palus Epidemiarum
- Palus (marsh)
- Palus Putredinis
- Palus (marsh)
- Palus Somni
- Palus (marsh)
- Parrot
- Crater
- Peirescius
- Crater
- Petavius
- Crater
- Petermann R
- Satellite crater
- Phillips
- Crater
- Philolaus
- Crater
- Philolaus C
- Satellite crater
- Philolaus G
- Satellite crater
- Piccolomini
- Crater
- Pictet
- Crater
- Pitatus
- Crater
- Pitiscus
- Crater
- Playfair G
- Satellite crater
- Plutarch
- Crater
- Pontécoulant
- Crater
- Posidonius
- Crater
- Promontorium Agarum
- Cape
- Promontorium Taenarium
- Cape
- Ptolemaeus
- Crater
- Purbach
- Crater
- Rabbi Levi
- Crater
- Regiomontanus
- Crater
- Reichenbach
- Crater
- Rheita
- Crater
- Riccius
- Crater
- Rima Ariadaeus
- Rille
- Rima Brayley
- Rille
- Rima Cauchy
- Rille
- Rima Diophantus
- Rille
- Rima Draper
- Rille
- Rima G. Bond
- Rille
- Rima Hesiodus
- Rille
- Rima Hyginus
- Rille
- Rima Sheepshanks
- Rille
- Rimae Archimedes
- Rille
- Rimae Bode
- Rille
- Rimae Goclenius
- Rille
- Rimae Gutenberg
- Rille
- Rimae Hase
- Rille
- Rimae Hippalus
- Rille
- Rimae Hypatia
- Rille
- Rimae Littrow
- Rille
- Rimae Parry
- Rille
- Rimae Plato
- Rille
- Rimae Triesnecker
- Rille
- Rosenberger
- Crater
- Rothmann G
- Satellite crater
- Rupes Altai
- Scarp
- Rupes Cauchy
- Scarp
- Sacrobosco
- Crater
- Santbech
- Crater
- Sasserides
- Crater
- Scheiner
- Crater
- Schomberger
- Crater
- Schumacher
- Crater
- Scott
- Crater
- Short
- Crater
- Simpelius
- Crater
- Sinus Aestuum
- Sinus (bay)
- Sinus Amoris
- Sinus (bay)
- Sinus Asperitatis
- Sinus (bay)
- Sinus Concordiae
- Sinus (bay)
- Sinus Honoris
- Sinus (bay)
- Sinus Lunicus
- Sinus (bay)
- Sinus Medii
- Sinus (bay)
- Sinus Successus
- Sinus (bay)
- Snellius
- Crater
- Stadius
- Crater
- Steinheil
- Crater
- Stevinus
- Crater
- Stöfler
- Crater
- Theophilus
- Crater
- Vallis Rheita
- Valley
- Vallis Snellius
- Valley
- Vega
- Crater
- Vendelinus
- Crater
- Vlacq
- Crater
- W. Bond
- Crater
- Walther
- Crater
- Watt
- Crater
- Weiss
- Crater
- Werner
- Crater
- Wilhelm
- Crater
- Wilkins
- Crater
- Wurzelbauer
- Crater
- Young
- Crater
- Zach
- Crater
- Zagut
- Crater
- Zeno
- Crater
About the labels and credits
Feature positions use a verified lunar solution of this photograph. The grid shows lunar latitude and longitude. Catalogue outlines are guides, and some small features may be indistinct in this exposure.
Lunar solving and exported feature positions and outlines: SkySolver, by Dominik Sito. Feature names follow IAU lunar nomenclature. Photograph © Lee Pullen.
Science
There are some particularly interesting features visible in my image, so I’ve chosen a selection to examine in more detail.
First up is the crater Copernicus. It measures 93km across, which coincidentally is the distance from my home city of Bristol to Oxford.
Copernicus was formed around 800 million years ago, which makes it fairly young as lunar features go. As for how it was made, our current best guess is that an asteroid called 495 Eulalia broke apart, and part of this smashed into the Moon, forming Copernicus. The crater rim then collapsed inwards, creating step-like terrace areas, while the surface rebounded, leaving a peak in the middle.
Next we have a crater called Tycho, which at 85km across is almost the same size as Copernicus. It also has central peaks made during its formation impact. Their highest point measures 1.6km from the crater’s base, which is like five Eiffel Towers stacked on top of each other.
Nearby is Clavius, which is quite different from Tycho. For a start it’s a lot bigger, at 225km across. It’s also very old, having formed around four billion years ago. It features overlapping craters, each one younger than the last. Science fiction buffs may recognise the name; it’s the location of Clavius Base in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Moving on and we come to Sinus Iridum. This was once a full crater, but its southern rim was destroyed and lava flooded in, then cooled and solidified. So, now we say that Sinus Iridum isn’t a crater, but rather a bay.
Vallis Alpes caught my eye when I was processing the image. It’s a long valley, around 166km (approx. Bristol to London), and up to 10km wide at points. It wasn’t made by an impact, but is actually a tectonic fracture made when the lunar surface cracked.
Nearby is the Plato crater, which is nearly circular, although it looks a bit oblong in my photo just because of the viewing angle. Its floor is quite smooth, made from basaltic lava that flooded the crater base. This buried the original crater floor, leaving it mostly flat, aside from a peppering of tiny craters that unfortunately my photo isn’t quite detailed enough to reveal.
Kit list
This is the equipment I used to capture the image.
Affiliate links help support the site at no extra cost to you.
Telescope: Askar 130PHQ
Read my review
Buy from Astroshop.eu
Buy from High Point Scientific
Camera: ZWO ASI 2600MC Pro
Read my review
Buy from Astroshop.eu
Buy from High Point Scientific
Mount: StellarDrive X 6R PRO
Read my review
Buy EQ6-R PRO from Astroshop.eu
Buy EQ6-R PRO from High Point Scientific
Rebuilt into a StellarDrive X 6R PRO by DarkFrame Optics.
Control: ASIAIR Plus
Read my review
Buy from Astroshop.eu
Buy from High Point Scientific
Processing
As mentioned earlier, I’m not a Solar System imager, so approached processing this image in a bit of an unusual way. I opened the single image in PixInsight, where I debayered it, ran BlurX, NoiseX, a little bit of Unsharp Mask, and LocalHistogramEqualiser. I then used SetiAstro’s Super Resolution to increase the image’s resolution, knowing I’d want to do some close crops of specific points of interest. Then I took the image into Lightroom, where I made a few extra simple tweaks.
Book an online Masterclass
Book a one-to-one Masterclass tailored to your skill level and equipment, with a practical focus on improving results even under light-polluted skies.
Example source data
Donate
If you’ve found this content useful, please consider donating to help support the site!
Discover more from Urban Astrophotography
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.