Sometimes given in the header:
Sp the star's spectral type
mag the star's magnitude
%illum the percent illumination of the moon. If followed by a +,
values are for a waxing moon; - for a waning moon and e for
illumination during a lunar eclipse.
The Prediction list (not all columns always given, for example,
the Moon alt. and az. are not given if it is high for all places)
Time The Universal Time or local time, in hours, mins and secs.
If the local time is given, the time zone is indicated.
Sun alt. The altitude of the Sun, but only if greater than -13 deg.
Moon alt. The altitude of the Moon in deg. above the horizon.
Moon az. The azimuth of the Moon - 0 for due north, 90 for due
east, 180 for due south, 270 for due west.
CA = Cusp Angle:
The cusp angle specifies where on the Moon a star (or planet) will
disappear or reappear. It is an angle measured around the
circumference of the Moon's disk starting from either the northern
(N) or southern (S) horn, or cusp, of the lunar crescent (negative
on the bright side, positive on the dark side). The location for
the disappearance is not too important for most observers. In this
case, the star can be seen before the event and just followed in.
If the disappearance is on the bright side of the Moon (negative
cusp angle), it will usually not be visible except in a small
telescope for very bright stars like Aldebaran. Locating the
reappearance point is most important for telescopic observers where
the field of view is smaller than the Moon's disk. Those using
camcorders directly will image the whole Moon and can then catch the
event wherever it occurs on the dark side, as long as the star is
bright enough relative to glare from the sunlit side of the Moon to
be detected. Naked-eye, and possibly camcorder, observers of the
reappearance can gain some advantage by blocking the sunlit part of
the Moon with a rooftop, top of a telephone pole, etc.
PA Position Angle - the angle of the event around the edge
(circumference) of the Moon's disk, measured counterclockwise
from true (celestial) north.
WA Watts Angle - the angle of the event around the limb of the Moon
measured eastward (counterclockwise, like PA) from the Moon's
north pole. Useful for reappearances when lunar features can be
seen near the Moon's trailing edge, as when the Moon is highly
gibbous during the few days just past full, or during the few
days before new when the maria can be seen faintly by
Earthshine. To use, use a protractor to mark a map of the moon
around the circumference at 10 deg intervals, starting at the
north pole. Mare Crisium is at about 300 deg. This provides the
Watts angle scale. The OCCULT program can generate a view of the
Moon, which is preferred since it takes into account the lunar
librations; OCCULT moonviews for major cities are often given on
IOTA's Web site.
A Coefficient for correcting the prediction for changes in site
or longitude. The units are seconds of time per minutes of arc, or
a minutes of time per degree. The correction to the prediction for a
change in site, in seconds of time, is found by multiplying A by
the change in site longitude (in minutes of arc, positive to the
East, that is, longitudes EAST of Greenwich are considered
positive) from the prediction site (or the calculation can use
degrees, as noted above).
B or b Same as for A, but for changes in latitude (positive to the
north).