Mars

[dellboy78]

I got my first glimpses of mars last night through my Nexstar 8se. The clearest view I got was with a 15mm plossl. I was pleased with my first view but would like to know some tips for improving on it!

I found the glare of the planet made it hard to see any detail. Should I be using filters? If so what ones? I've only got the ones that came in my Revelation eyepiece set but dont know which ones to use for what. Also should I be able to get higher magnification than I managed? A 9mm plossl is about the best I have at the moment but I couldn't get the image to focus properly with that EP fitted. I would like to see the ice caps! I would also add that there is a fair amount of light pollution where I was viewing from. Any tips greatly appreciated!

[umadog]

The image may appear to not have focused because you would have been at over 220x and the atmosphere doesn't always support a power that high. Particularly when the object is low in the sky (as Mars is right now before midnight). You should be able to see the northern ice cap at a power less than 200x, though. It's a subtle feature until you know what you're looking for.

The light pollution is irrelevant since, as you have pointed out, the object is very bright.

You may find a neutral density filter useful. Perhaps even a coloured filter of some sort. Personally, I find Mars is dim enough at >200x for me to manage without a filter. If you stare for long enough the brightness won't matter and you will see details.

[perrin6]

I find very high powers of 300x - 400x best for mars in my 8.7 inch (hiluxed) & 13.8 inch dobs as glare is too apparent in lower powers, I don't know if my age (46) is a relevent factor. I've no experience with filters.

[perrin6]

I should add to my entry above that the eyepieces I'm using are W.O. 6mm SPL & 4mm Uwan. Optimal magnification might be different with these eyepieces from plossls as they are a quite different design.

[John]

It's important that your scope is in good collimation and completely cooled when observing Mars I find. I was observing the planet a couple of nights ago with my ED120 refractor and found that 180x and 225x showed me a sharp martian planetary disk with a clear bright pole cap, dark polar "collar" and other dark areas on the disk showing reasonably clearly. The contrast of these features was quite low, coming and going as the seeing conditions varied. I was using Pentax XW and Skywatcher Nirvana eyepieces.

[paul schofield]

I was looking at Mars last night for the first time with my new scope. I was using a 9.7mm ep barlowed, and a Neodymium filter, probably too high a magnification overall. Will probably use lower magnification next time as I also could see no detail at all. Did not even look red, just a white blob of nothing. Every night a learning curve. Hope we get the results with a bit of trial and error.

[Mark Scott]

This should help with filter use Observing the Planets with Color Filters

[steelyglint]

hi mate. the other nite i used a 15mm and 10mm ep's with a x2 barlow for looking at mars and after some time out there i could see dark areas and ice cap...be warned though mars is right pest to look at and conditions have to be good....you just have to sit there and stare at it basicaly....also i tried out a blue filter and it did help a little bit with bringing out a little more detail.............SG............

[itlee]

I have been Looking at mars too, but a little disappointed, it just looks like a tiny orange disk. I'm using a 150mm newt and 250x EP. After a while I can make out a white area, but overall it is blurred.

I was wondering how big mars looks in your EPs?

[Zachariah]

Same here, but try reducing the mag 200+ is too much.

[itlee]

Agreed, but then a smaller disk. But I suppose less blurring?

[StarRanger]

Hi all,

New to this all and just got my Skywatcher 127 mak and have started with Jupiter and been impressed with the detail with a 12mm BST. Tried Mars and I just couldn't get any detail and wondered if I needed to get an 8 or 9mm to see it better, looking at the TMB or BST ones.

Is it possible to get the Mars detail with this scope?

[John]

Mars is a small object, significantly smaller than Jupiter's disk. It takes magnification reasonably well if the conditions are good but it's never going to present a large disk in the eyepiece, at least not this opposition (closest approach in early March). In a few years (2018) there will a much better opportunity. Astronomy is not for the impatient !

[glowjet]

If you can try some Orthoscopic ep`s like Circle T or even better the MC range from Baader, they are excellent for Planetary work