April 15, 2024
33 And Counting
Originally published December 26, 2013
image from Raf Lena, Roma, Italia
In England, December 26 is Boxing Day, a day that servants and trades people traditionally receive gifts from their employers. It is appropriate that this Boxing Day we look back at the gifts that a small group of lunar scientists - all officially amateurs except for the professional quality of their work - have given to all of us over the last 7 years. Selenology Today started in 2006 because amateurs, in particular members of the Geologic Lunar Research group, had been conducting interesting research but had few places to publish. Over the last 33 issues more than 100 papers have been published that demonstrate how scientific results can be derived from careful analysis of both amateur images and professional ones by Clementine and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This is not the first time that lunar afficianados have banded together to collaborate and encourage serious lunar studies but it is one of the most successful. I think back to the Selenographical Society of the 1880s that had high expectations but died out before achieving its major goal - a large scale map of the Moon. This led to the British Astronomical Association's various lunar groups and sections which continue today. Selenology Today has been edited since the beginning by Raf Lena, and the current editorial board includes Jim Phillips, George Tarsoudis and Maria Teresa Bregante - congratulations to all of them and the former editors! All issues are freely available.
Chuck Wood
Yesterday's LPOD: Santa Moon
Tomorrow's LPOD: Two Little Known Valleys
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