LENOMIYA OBSERVATORY

MINOR PLANET CENTER OBSERVATORY CODE H13

My name is Luis Martinez and I am an amateur astronomer in Casa Grande, Arizona. I enjoy stargazing and learning more about our incredible universe. Luck

was on my side when I moved here

30 years ago since I had no idea

I chose an area with reasonable

dark skies, before I began my

astronomical activities.

My current science interests are

lunar meteor impacts, asteroid

hunting, and asteroid occultations.

The observatory's astrometry data

was deemed accurate enough to

obtain a Minor Planet Center designation (H13) in 2009.

I am a true "backyard" astronomer (no permanent observatory) .

You can see my telescope here.

To contact me by email click here.

MY EQUIPMENT: SOFTWARE:

Celestron CPC1100/ 11" telescope CCDSoft

Hyperstar lens Nebulosity2

Orion ShortTube 80A Virtual Moon Atlas

WATEC 902H2 video camera CyberSky 4

PC164EX video camera Lunar Terminator

Orion StarShooter II CCD camera TheSky6

Sony DVD player RITI Lunar Map

Canon ZR300 camcorder LiMovie

Dell Inspiron 1420 laptop Occult Watcher

PLV2 video amplifier Quick Phase Pro

ADVC 55 Canopus video converter LunarScan 1.5

KIWI OSD time inserter Guide 8

MyBook 500GB external disk Virtual Dub

Mitty Wedge Registax 5

Scope Buggy MPO Canopus

StarShoot AutoGuider Nudger

SBIG ST-8XME PHD

ABOUT THE THREE LOGOS ABOVE:

The current lunar meteor impact activities are carried out under a joint effort by both NASA personnel and amateur astronomers, and is intended to assist NASA in making Earth-based observations of the dark portion of the moon to establish the rates and sizes of large meteoroids (greater than 500 grams or 1 pound in mass) striking the lunar surface.

Why it is important: U.S. Space Exploration

Policy eventually calls for extended

astronaut stays on the lunar surface

in 2020. Spacecraft, vehicles,

habitats, and EVA suits must all

be designed to withstand the

stresses posed by the harsh lunar

environment over this period of

time. Meteoroids, and the ejecta

produced when they create impact

craters, are part of this environment.

I designed the Lunar Impact Team patch as a way to enhance the team spirit among both professionals and amateurs. In addition to many amateurs having obtained it, the patch has been procured by many professionals and can be seen about the Marshal Space Flight Center.

The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) launched, with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) aboard an Atlas V rocket, from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on June 18 2009. The mission was to find signs of frozen water on the Moon's south pole.

NOTE- the LCROSS impact and plume , at 11:30 UT October 9, were not visually observed by most telescopes and NASA is now processing the data.

I designed the LCROSS unofficial "mission" patch for the same reasons as the LIT patch. The patch depicts the Centaur headed for the Moon, and displays the motto "Lux Ex Tenebris," which translates to "Light From Darkness." The small number "17" is a tribute to the seventeen American astronauts who have perished aboard US spacecraft.

The Asteroid Hunter patch symbolizes the nightly hunt for Near Earth Objects that may threaten us, and the efforts of amateur and professional astronomers in obtaining astrometry and photometry data for these bodies. The motto means "Seize the Night."

If you wish to order patches click here.