Through binoculars and small telescopes the Moon's surface resolves into a remarkable collection of seas, mountains and many hundreds of craters. In a telescope as small as a 60mm refractor just about every class of lunar feature can be seen, including faults, rilles, clefts, dorsa (wrinkle ridges) and domes.

The SPA Lunar Section encourages visual lunar observation and drawing the Moon's features... but we're not some kind of weird nocturnal art school.

The Moon is packed with fine detail, and the observer's ability to discern this is found to constantly improve with time spent at the eyepiece. The best way to get to know your way around the Moon and to make sense out of the lunar landscape is to sketch what can be seen. Observational honesty and accuracy are essential; sheer drawing speed, artistic flair or aesthetic appeal count for very little.

SPA Lunar Section members are welcome to pursue their own lunar goals and/or participate in a range of special lunar observing projects that can be found in the Reference section of this site.

Peter Grego is the director of the SPA Lunar Section. You can read his profile by clicking on the tabbed link above.