Chapter 94: The Beauty of the Moon (Part Two)

New Moon (Conjunction): The Moon and the Sun move to the same side, rising and setting together, rendering the Moon completely invisible.

Crescent Moon: The angle between the Moon and the Sun is 45 degrees, with the Moon’s elevation below 45 degrees, appearing in the western sky after sunset. This is the ideal time to witness the phenomenon of the “new Moon embracing the old Moon.” With the naked eye, one can observe the faint reflected light from the Moon’s dark side—commonly referred to as the “old Moon.” Through an astronomical telescope, one can see the entirety of the Sea of Crisis and the Sea of Fertility. The craters Clavius, Langrenus, and Petavius are exquisite sights worthy of careful observation.

First Quarter Moon: Visible right after sunset, at its highest angle, providing an excellent opportunity to observe the western hemisphere of the Moon. Through a telescope, the terminator (the line dividing light and shadow) runs from north to south, presenting a series of famous features: the northern craters Aristotle and Eudoxus stand out, below them lie the Sea of Serenity and the Posidonius crater, with the central region dominated by the Sea of Tranquility. In the southern hemisphere, the Sea of Nectar and the Theophilus crater are prominent, and near the edge lies a densely cratered area, the most striking being the Maurolycus crater.

Waxing Gibbous: Compared to the First Quarter, the illuminated area is larger and rounder. After sunset, the waxing gibbous Moon hangs in the eastern sky, its elevation gradually increasing with time. Through a telescope, the most beautiful sights include the Plato crater in the Alps, the Sea of Rain and Archimedes crater, as well as the central Copernicus and Ptolemaeus craters, all perfect for observation. In the southern hemisphere, the Sea of Clouds, the southernmost Tycho and Clavius craters are landmark features.

Then comes the Full Moon, also known as the “Moon at its zenith,” which Lin Nan observed during his last lunar holiday.

After the Full Moon, viewing conditions begin to improve. The Moon transitions from a round full moon to a waning gibbous, with the illuminated area on the near side decreasing, hence the name “waning gibbous.” The Sea of Serenity in the northern part enters its optimal observation window, with the Posidonius crater lying on the terminator. The high-latitude northern craters Aristotle and Eudoxus, as well as Theophilus in the southern hemisphere, are prime targets for observation.

Last Quarter Moon: Through a telescope, the terminator extends from north to south, showcasing a series of renowned features. In the northern hemisphere, the Plato crater in the Alps is beautifully illuminated. The Alps and the Apennines form a semicircle, cradling the Sea of Rain and the Archimedes crater. Near the equator are the Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus, and Arzachel craters. In the southern hemisphere, Clavius and Tycho craters bask in the setting sunlight.

Finally, the Waning Crescent: Through a telescope, the Aristarchus crater and the Valley of Snakes are beautifully illuminated. Additionally, on the eastern edge of Oceanus Procellarum, the craters Herodotus and Grimaldi stand out. In the southern hemisphere, the Mason and Schickard craters are strikingly three-dimensional.

Altogether, there are eight phases of the Moon.

Lin Nan also discovered, through his research, that these eight lunar phases follow a regular pattern. In the first half of the lunar month, the Moon is easily visible after sunset, making the best observation time from dusk to midnight. During this period, the Moon transitions from the new moon to the waxing gibbous and finally to the full moon, gradually swelling from a slender crescent to a full, round orb.

In the latter half of the lunar month, the Moon shifts from full to crescent, from full moon to waning crescent, with the optimal observation time moving to just before sunrise—late night to dawn. The cycle repeats endlessly, waxing and waning.

Only now did Lin Nan realize how much fascinating knowledge is contained within the Moon alone. Previously, he only knew the Moon was at its fullest in the middle of each month, but now he thoroughly understood the Moon’s entire cycle and its surface geography.

Lin Nan truly felt the beauty of the Moon and the allure of astronomy. He also learned that the best times for lunar observation are during the First and Last Quarters, not during the visually appealing full moon.

However, the lunar holiday had passed, and the complete set of astronomical equipment was difficult to carry. Lin Nan couldn’t bring it all to school for practical observation. But with summer approaching, he wasn’t too worried.

So, he brought a portable astronomical telescope to school, and every night he would climb to the rooftop of the teaching building to observe the stars. The key to the rooftop was easily obtained from “Old Zheng.”

Zheng Zemin hadn’t expected this boy Lin Nan, who chose astronomy over basketball. He checked Lin Nan’s grades on the computer and found that his scores in the sciences were nearly perfect for several monthly exams, so he fell silent.

What an oddball...

Fortunately, when Zheng Zemin saw Lin Nan’s failing English grades, he was instantly at ease. It wasn’t that he didn’t wish his students could excel in English, but he understood that no one could master everything. Rather than patching weaknesses, it was better to leverage strengths.

With the increasing popularity of the “Teacher’s Forum,” Zheng Zemin foresaw that future society would need more people with specialized skills, not those who were mediocre in everything.

Thus, every night after evening study, Lin Nan would spend half an hour alone on the rooftop with his telescope, then return to the dormitory to sleep. Day after day, the number of stars and constellations he recognized steadily increased.

Until the day before summer vacation.

Lin Nan couldn’t resist showing off to Si Dong.

It was during evening self-study; most classmates were playing on their phones, as tomorrow was vacation and no one had the heart to read. Lin Nan glanced at the Moon outside the window and quietly asked Si Dong, who sat beside him, “Do you know what phase the Moon is tonight?”

Lin Nan expected that most people would be surprised that the Moon had so many types. Si Dong should be no exception. Then he could impress her with his astronomical knowledge.

Unexpectedly, Si Dong glanced at the Moon outside and answered, “It’s the First Quarter.”

Perhaps because she was in her familiar domain, Si Dong’s voice was notably louder than usual. But Lin Nan didn’t notice this small detail, for he was stunned to hear the correct answer, “First Quarter!”

Soon Lin Nan recalled that Si Dong often read books; it wasn’t strange if she’d occasionally come across descriptions of the Moon. He pressed on, “Then do you know what you can see with a telescope during the First Quarter?”

This time, Si Dong didn’t look outside. The moment Lin Nan asked, she replied confidently, “You can see the northern Aristotle and Eudoxus craters, the Sea of Serenity and Posidonius crater below, the central Sea of Tranquility, the southern Sea of Nectar and Theophilus crater, the densely cratered region near the edge, and Maurolycus crater.”

Her words flowed ever more smoothly, her voice gaining assurance. People are like this; in fields they know well and have achieved something, they become more confident than usual.

However, Si Dong’s detailed answer left Lin Nan dumbfounded.

How could she answer so “authentically”? Who was showing off to whom?

Lin Nan’s mind raced, even though some place names in her answer were unfamiliar to him. But he never doubted her accuracy.

Clearly, Si Dong hadn’t merely read about the Moon in books. She couldn’t have remembered such details otherwise. She must have deep experience in astronomy, having observed the First Quarter many times to speak so fluently.

Lin Nan felt deflated. He’d wanted to show off his astronomical knowledge, but ended up being outdone by her!

Yet Lin Nan wasn’t one to admit defeat so easily. He looked at the confidently smiling Si Dong and finally asked a question he himself didn’t know the answer to: “Do you know how to photograph the Moon at its most beautiful?”

This time, Si Dong didn’t answer quickly. Instead, she furrowed her brow slightly.

Lin Nan noticed and thought, “Now you don’t know!” Unaware that Si Dong was simply organizing her thoughts.

After a moment, she began to speak, her answer longer than before:

“Firstly, it’s best to choose the First or Last Quarter as your subject, because you’ll capture more details and the brightness is moderate. Then, shoot in weather free of clouds and haze, in areas with low light pollution, such as mountaintops or uninhabited wilds. Next, use an astronomical camera instead of a DSLR to record video during the First Quarter.

Because atmospheric turbulence fluctuates, using a camera alone means the turbulence will affect image quality. But with an astronomical camera, after recording video, you can use stacking software to automatically select clear frames with minimal turbulence, discarding blurred frames. Then you mathematically stack these clear frames into a single image.

This composite image will contain all the detail from the sharpest frames, while averaging algorithms smooth out random noise. Finally, software can sharpen the photo and mosaic different images together for greater clarity and completeness of detail.

Of course, to capture the Moon at its most beautiful, you need the best telescopes—like those in observatories or the high-magnification scopes astronomers use. But ordinary enthusiasts can’t access those.”

Si Dong, having never spoken so much at once, felt her throat dry and took a few sips of water.

Meanwhile, Lin Nan was completely overwhelmed...

Astronomical cameras instead of DSLRs? Atmospheric turbulence? Video stacking? Automated software algorithms? Sharpening? Mosaic stitching?

What was all this?

It took a while for Lin Nan to recover from this cascade of dazzling terms. When he first delved into astronomy, he’d read about everything online, including some of what Si Dong just mentioned. But since deciding to build his foundation, he hadn’t touched these advanced techniques.

Now he fully realized that Si Dong was a seasoned astronomy enthusiast—almost certainly the daughter of one of the senior members of the local Linan stargazers’ group.

Thinking of this, Lin Nan smiled happily. Because of Si Dong’s story, he thought of his charity and Millionaire’s Club plan. Now his second project in the club was astronomy, and Si Dong happened to be deeply skilled in this field. He and she were truly destined to meet!

Looking at Si Dong’s innocent face, Lin Nan knew she wasn’t trying to show off her astronomical knowledge. But at this age, boys are naturally competitive.

So Lin Nan shared his “Millionaire’s Club” plan with Si Dong. She listened, utterly amazed, especially when she learned Lin Nan had used the million he earned from basketball to build a school.

Her gaze toward Lin Nan was full of admiration, reverence, and an undisguisable hint of affection.

Seeing the way Si Dong looked at him, Lin Nan regained his usual confidence, sensing her admiration but oblivious to the budding feelings between adolescents.

Lin Nan and Si Dong stared at each other in silence. At last, Si Dong’s cheeks flushed, and she returned to herself, asking Lin Nan, “But as far as I know, astrophotography is always a hobby where the costs outweigh the gains. How could you possibly earn a million from it?”

End.