Mars - surface detail or red blob

[onesmallstep]

Hi

I managed to see Syrtis Major last night, albeit through a Meade LX200/14 at 222x. Mars is tiny even through large scopes which why some of the 'smaller' scopes seem to be struggling as I have through the 200P. Imagers certainly seem to have the edge at the mo!

[Tribal-Wolf]

This is the best I've been able to do with Mars dues to poor seeing around here. I think I will have to wait up a bit later next time.

[blusky]

Yes, was a good seeing last night, by far best in months. Syrtis Major was astonishingly clear.

Amazingly, even at 480x magnification(!!!) the contrast was amazing.

Could also see the details of the ridges on the Moon, for the first time the Huygens crest in such a detail.

[paul schofield]

I think Mars improves the more you look at it. When I first observed it, I saw no red at all, but now after months of trying, I am starting to get slight red tinge and slight, and I mean slight dark patches on the disk. Going to keep at it, By August I should maybe see an ice cap.

[John]

My feeling is that Mars has improved as a visual object since it's opposition / closest approach in early March, despite the fact that it's now moving away from us and it's apparent size is reducing. The contrast of the features seems stronger as do the colour tints. Whether this is due to the positioning / lighting of Mars itself or a good period of viewing conditions here I don't know

I was not too excited about the 2012 opposition as Mars size was always going to remain relatively small but I've actually had the best views I can recall of the red planet for many years. Maybe my kit / technique is a bit better this year as well

[Moonshane]

annoyingly, I got teasing views of Mars last night in sucker holes between clouds for seconds at a time. my scope was well cooled and the views, albeit brief, were the best I have had ever. Syrtis Major was extremely well defined as was the tiny northern polar cap plus a now seemingly more obvious southern cap.

[Macavity]

Seeing details on Mars must be fairly challenging though - Especially if "gifted" with my (indifferent) eyesight? <G> Not QUITE the same, I know, but the VIDEO view of Mars, via a Watec camera, shows me, vague features on a tiny disk, that (at best) flit in and out of view, as the seeing changes.

If I "Barlow" the setup, I begin to see stuff. If I "stack" the images, I see even more. But the effective magnification would be well over 600x! Risky to admit ignorance over the "obvious", but I sometimes wonder WHY it is that imaging yields planetary detail so much more readily than visual observation. Of course skill and patience, come into it too, but...

Fortunately, in my very early reading, someone once described the visual view Mars a "Tiny dancing Orange".

And that was way before the... Annoying Orange (disgression advised)

[Moonshane]

hi Chris

For me there's a difference between sharp detail and being able to detect vague shapes and smudges which confirm features. The imaging rigs gather the former over a period of time and our eyes unfortunately only get the latter. Occasionally when the seeing is good like last night, the eyes can do it too.

[iamzoso60]

I tried a couple of nights last week, when the seeing appeared good. The first nights results were appalling, like you say all I got was a Red blob but the next night under similar conditions, I managed get probably my best pics of Mars using the trusty web cam.

The seeing conditions vary greatly under what seems to be clear skies.

[kenmyers]

it looks great, glad you got sorted.

[Northern Soul man]

Hi Guys, I was out with the 127mm Mak last night (sunday) between 10 - 12 ish and found the seeing quite good both polar caps (not seen them together before) and also a larger land mass disappearing, but I find the regions just below the polar caps the darkest when using the 8mm ep - remember the better scopes for planetary are the ones with the longer focal lengths (F10+) these are geared to better detail as opposed to F5 - F8, yes, I know very expensive - but filtering helps maybe -orange or polarising or Neo.

Turned the scope on to Saturn - very nice, my first view this apparition - not well placed though - low in the sky and not well placed this time - but thought I picked out Titan (well away from the disk) and 2 fainter moons on 1 side but with such a small scope - really good views for a 5" scope can't wait for my 11" CPC to arrive - then the fun really starts. Paul.

[M4lcs67]

Don't know if it is due to the fact that I only have a 5" scope but had a blast with my new 10mm Hyperion last night and only got that red blob. Hey Northern Soul Man. Looks like you were virtually using the same set up as me last night although I was on a 10mm ep and you were on an 8. Would that make any difference in your opinion? I know I have only had my new 10mm five minuites, but was considering getting one of the Baader ftr's to try and wring a little bit more out of it.

[Stu]

I've had good detail out of a 4" so you should manage more than a red blob with yours. Probably more down to seeing than the scope.

Stu

[perrin6]

I wonder if the sheer brightness of mars washes out any detail in the same way as the bright primary of a double star overwhelms a fainter companion. With doubles high power seems to overcome this washing-out effect enabling faint ones to be seen so I recommend trying a very high magnification.

[Stu]

I certainly agree that mars generally benefits from high mag. I also find that filters help, though that is quite a personal choice I believe

Stu

[Northern Soul man]

Hi Malc, yeah the FTR will increase mag a little and will help by putting a little higher mag without any more glass in line. Getting up to the near limit on Mag decreases the brightness but also blurrs the image. I keep looking at Mars for about 10 - 15 mins before I begin to notice subtle detail - but only for a second or two when the atmosphere steadies - looking at different areas - polar caps - then towards the limb - all the time trying to tweak the focus a little.

I'm waiting for my new scope and only have the 127mm to observe with - but hasn't put me off at all - really enjoyed it - I also dropped the mag a little - maybe a 13mm Hyp - this really brightens Mars so put an Orion Polarising filter in line - this helps to dim Mars a little and darken the image but still keeping the contrast - I think the Neo filters do the same - not got round to getting a Neo filter yet, think I may wait for the next apparition now (2 years).

Keep at it Malc - I've been observing for years now and still enjoy each night, I've used a range of scopes, but don't be put off by the smallish aperture of these Maks, visually you're not going to get the detail of a processed image in any aperture, but remember keeping the aperture at 5" your going to get more nights of better seeing in your Mak than if you had a much larger scope - these large aperture scopes allow you to increase the optimal mag every night but remember, as the aperture increases, it also increases the poor effects of seeing, this is why relatively small apertures win on nights that large apertures don't allow good seeing.

Thes 127mm Maks are fantastic scopes I think - I know everyone says aperture is king - with my new scope, I'm more than doubling aperture, but remember its not going to DOUBLE the size and observable detail of Mars - yes, it will be a brighter image, but as I said before, the larger the telescope, the worse the "seeing" will be on any given night. (You ask BigMak - wish I'd got that scope!!!)

Cheers all - great thread - Paul.