What kind of magnification for Mars detail.

[Cashman]

Had my first look at mars the other night and wondered what kind of magnification you would need to see it with any detail.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

On Mars I tend to use at least 200x (up to 335x in good conditions). With a 130mm aperture, I would not go beyond about 250-260x. That should be enough. You can always try higher mag if you like. Note that the high surface brightness and small size make distinguishing features on Mars quite hard (MUCH harder than Jupiter). You need to look for quite a while before you start picking out detail.

[Nexus 6]

my one and only look at it so far this year using a telescope was not brilliant but I did see a bit of the Northern Polar region. I used the 13mm Ethos giving me 180x and also tried the 9mm Nagler for a touch much power giving 261x, thing is, as Michael has said, spending some time sitting and observing is worth doing for a chance to pick out some of the detail, something I did not do on that particular night.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Mars doesn't like me.

[bish]

Mars doesn't like me.

Don't take it personally:D

Good seeing and as much magnification as you can throw at it. Probably up to x300 with your scope.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Mars doesn't like me.

Mars does not like peaceful people.

[andrew63]

Patience and perseverance i find are the best equipment in your armoury when observing mars!

andrew

[Chris H]

Try in the morning the skies are sometimes a bits steadier then.

[johninderby]

I agree, observing conditions need to be just right to give good views of Mars. Unfortunately times when Mars is in the right position and the conditions are just right are pretty rare in the UK.

John

[Cashman]

I had a look at Venus last night at 10mm on my 130p. 650mm length. Not sure what mag that is. I could make out the crescent on one side. I'm trying to get hold of a filter to cut down the glare.

Also I had my best view of Jupiter so far at around 18:00. 4 moons all spread out on one side. Fantastic. I want better EPs now.

[Cashman]

Does a 127 mak scope have a much greater degree of magnification than a 130p using the same eyepieces? If so... How much more?

[John]

The 127 mak will deliver about 2.3x the magnification than the 130P does, using the same eyepieces. The practical maximum magnification that is usable will remain the same though.

[Chris H]

The max power the Heritage can handle is around x150 so a 4 or 5mm ep will give you that. I would try a 6mm ep as a good step up in power from the 10mm.

Divide the focal length of the scope (650mm) by the focal length of the ep to get magnification. Your 10mm gives you x65.

[Capricorn]

From the ramblings and moans about Mars last year you want 250x + and all the luck you can get.

Some reported that an IR filter improved the image.

As the magnification is high you also need to collect as much light as possible.

I would say that the 130P simply is too small to achieve everything to deliver martian detail.

Will also say that the people with a 10" scope that failed on Mars last year numbered quite a few. So the scope being used is just one of several factors. Collimation supplies a sharper image and so better detail, eyepiece needs to be good.

[andrew63]

Also consider that mars is fairly small, at more favourable times it can be twice as big - in the early 80s it was excellent and a lot of detail could be seen in a 6" reflector.

andrew

[The Flinty Fox]

I had my first look a Mars tonight and i agree seeing datail if very difficult. I was using a skymax 90 with a vixen 10mm (mag 125) and i must of spent a least one to two hours looking. After time i was able, just though, to make out a white-ish area at its southern pole.

Now the question is was it the Martian southern pole i was looking at just an optical illusion?, which at first i though it was.

Cheers:)

[Baffa]

I had my first look at Mars some 30 mins ago It's really a hard to make out the details, I could, I think see the polar cap. Or it was the wierd seeing we had tonight, a sudden drop in temperature, below zero, from a rather damp evening.

Seeing problems aside I'm still always impressed what I can see with this little scope

[The Flinty Fox]

Have just realized why the north was at the south. It was because i had the diagonal turned around in the focuser to avoid hitting my head on the finder. Well i think.

Haven't had chance to look again to confirm this but i hope am right. Also thinking about getting 8mm for more Mag (156x).

If i am able to see north ice-cap in my 90mm i think that will be a good result.

Cheers:)

[Moonshane]

I am lucky enough to have a 16" dob and an aperture mask which creates a 6.7" f11 unrestricted view. I observed Mars for the first time properly recently and managed the best views at about 180x and with a Baader Neodymium filter. I could clearly see the polar cap and surrounding dark collar as well as two distinct areas of darker markings on the main disc.

It was still low in the sky and over houses and I have high hopes for later in the year when a little better positioned at opposition.

As with all planetary and higher power observing, it's about a few things coming together. Good collimation, good cooling, good optics, good seeing, good position in the sky, good observing skills and enough time to spend observing for a while until the detail starts to pop out of the image, and it will if you persevere.

Mars is very attractive to me for a number of reasons and the challenge is just one of them - it's hard but rewarding.

[John]

...As with all planetary and higher power observing, it's about a few things coming together. Good collimation, good cooling, good optics, good seeing, good position in the sky, good observing skills and enough time to spend observing for a while until the detail starts to pop out of the image, and it will if you persevere....

Spot on Shane - we ought to make this a "sticky"

[Rihard]

Mars doesn't like me.

Mars and most planets are a bit unfriendly with people living in Ireland

If I think about it, I've seen some planets and DSOs from Sardinia with a 114 newtonian (including Saturn) but never spotted Mars anyway...so you're not alone

[LeeB]

hi last week got polar cap at a couple of dark patches but very unstable, best seemed to be 187x on that night but on others have managed 374x. mars is tough!! on scopes and eyes. canals anyone?

[todd8137]

me and telesto had a great view of mars ,a acidental one at that but with a standard 6mm ploss ep he had inyou could see the polar cap and a dark brown l shape and a curved brown line seeing was very good no wind -5we haf a great view he got some video as well with a spc900 ,you could easliy see the white cap in the video

not sure what the focal length of the 200 is

[LukeSkywatcher]

Mars and most planets are a bit unfriendly with people living in Ireland

If I think about it, I've seen some planets and DSOs from Sardinia with a 114 newtonian (including Saturn) but never spotted Mars anyway...so you're not alone

Mars is the only planet i have seen and not been impressed with.Saturn, Jupiter,Venus are all really good from my location.

[andrew63]

Just had a very brief look about 6.15 as it was getting low in the south-west. At 102x 7mm vixen in 4" refrac. although small the north polar cap was readily seen as a brilliant white top - although no other detail could be seen on the 'salmon' disk at that power.

andrew