Mon, 15 Apr
|Ibara
Spring Moon Viewing at BAO
See the half-moon in exquisite detail this spring at the observatory in Bisei. It's the best time of the year to go!
Time & Location
15 Apr 2024, 18:00 – 22:00
Ibara, 1723-70 Biseichō Ōkura, Ibara, Okayama 714-1411, Japan
About the event
Spring Moon Viewing
When it comes to looking at the moon, Japanese people associate it with admiring the full moon on long autumn nights. However, when using a telescope to look at the moon, the ideal conditions are completely different.
Long story short, the half-moon in the springtime is best.
With the naked eye, the moon is at its brightest and most impressive during a full moon. However, when magnified with a telescope, the unevenness of the moon’s terrain is completely lost. In contrast, around the time of a waning half-moon, you can see deep shadows etched into the terrain. Spring is the season when you can see it in the most detail, and due to the stability of the atmosphere, even with high magnification it isn’t blurry.
From April to May, you will be able see the topography of the moon at Bisei Astronomical Observatory on the following dates:
Saturday 13th-Monday 15th April
Sunday 12th May
Monday 13th May
Friday 17th May
Saturday 18th May
If it’s really clear outside, you will be able to enjoy views of the moon that are just like looking down from the window of a spaceship orbiting it.