A Couple of Mars Sketches - 8 & 9 March 2012

[DarkerSky]

Had a couple of interesting nights with my scopes. Been lucky really. Cloudy in the daytime then come evening the clouds have parted and I've got some viewing in. Seeing has been pretty patchy. Had some real poor seeing last night at times, especially later on when I had a ganders at Saturn...

Anyway - To Mars!

March 8, 2012

23.15UT

CM - 191 degrees

12" x192 magnification

Fairly bright cloud areas on both limbs. Detail was vague, but I believe the two darker areas on the left / bottom left are the Propontis Complex and part of the darker ground skirting Amazonia. The brighter limb brightening on the left is likely to be associated with Amazonia / Olympus Mons I think.

At the centre of the disc is Elysium, a slighter lighter area amongst the darker background. On March 3rd Elysium was bright. Tonight it was definitely not bright.

A darker area was seen to the top right limb. This is Mare Cimmerium poking its way into the sunlight .

March 9, 2012

21.05UT

CM - 151 degrees

8.5" x220 magnification

An excellent view of some low contrast areas. Lots of intricate detail that seemed to be just beyond my eyes. Several dark patches were seen. The one to the upper left could very well be Solis Lacus or Phoenicis Lacus.

The brighter area just left of centre are clouds over Olympus Mons - the largest volcano structure in the Solar System. It seemed to be bounded by two parallel areas of darkness. The darker area to the upper left borders the Tharsis region.

The Propontis Complex I think is the darker area sitting just above the NPC. The darker patch to the upper right of it is Styx, which faintly leads up towards Trivium Charontis. The brighter area on the morning limb *could* be morning clouds over Elysium.

[Zul]

Very nice!

[bish]

Very nicely drawn. Trying to get those subtle details is not easy.

[Mike73]

Nice work Seb and thanks for the tips in the other thread.

[todd8137]

nice i love to gt th pencils out on a evening

[DarkerSky]

Thanks for your comments.

Bish - you're right, those subtle details are not easy to come by. The contrast through my neodymimum filter helps.

[dweller25]

Great drawings Seb - the details on Mars are much more subtle than during it's last visit when it was much higher.

[DarkerSky]

Thanks David. Yes, I agree with you about the subtle detail. I was out last night and mare acidalium was looking decidedly 'soft'. I guess it must be martian haze or dust.