Ptolemaeus is an ancient lunar impact crater close to the center of the near side of the Moon. To the SSW Ptolemaeus is joined to the rim of Alphonsus crater by a section of rugged, irregular terrain, and to the north is the smaller but well-defined Herschel crater. The features of Ptolemaeus are highlighted when the sun is at low angles during the first and last quarter. During the full moon the sun is directly overhead and the crater contours become more difficult to see. The crater has a low, irregular outer rim that is heavily worn and impacted with multiple smaller craters. The crater rim rises to 2900 m above the lava-flooded floor.

OPTICS 10" Newtonian f/5.2, Meade 3x Barlow lens
MOUNT Losmandy G11 equatorial
CAMERA Philips ToUCam Pro SC1 webcam
FILTERS Meade OIII
EXPOSURE 550 x 1/50th s
DATE/TIME 11/10/2005 08:03 UTC
LOCATION My backyard observatory in west Auckland, New Zealand