Mars - 19 March 2012

[DarkerSky]

Grabbed this sketch in half an hour with my 16" scope at x295 magnification last night.

19 March 2012

21.15UT

Seeing IV mostly

CM 066 degrees

NPC has really shrunk down to a very small area now. Interestingly there seemed a darker rim to it on its upper left side, from where Mare Acidalium rose onto the disc. I could pick out variations in the darkness of the mare, and also saw its fainter extentions curving around acrss the central area of the disc. Between it and mare Boreum was a distinctly lighter area.

In the South Mare Erythraeum was obvious with a nodule of material dropping towards the centre of the disc. This is Aurorae Sinus. the spike of material jutting out towards the right limb is Solus Lacus.

The darker area separating Chyrse from Tharsis was well seen. very notable was a huge limb brightening over the Tharsis volcanoes and Olympus Mons rotating ono the disc.

Also noticeable for the first time since before opposition was a distinct phase to the planet.