What am I doing wrong? Mars detail.

[Aenima]

Since I got into astronomy and bought a SW 130p and loved it, one thing I have been wanting to do is see some basic detail/features on mars - by visual or imaging techniques, anything. So now I get a suitably large apertured scope - I read that a 150mm is the aperture where a beginner scope becomes a small scope, and is the least I'd need to see surface detail on Mars. That seemed okay to me, but after repeatedly trying various visual and imaging methods the small orange blob remains lacking in any detail however subtle.

Does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong? Or a suggestion regarding things I could try in my search for martian detail?

I would be very grateful for any input,

Many regards,

Aenima

Jay

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm afraid the only thing to do with Mars is be patient. Its by far the trickiest of the inner planets to observe detail on. Itreally takes steady nights and clear "seeing" to tease out the smallest of detail.

You could try a webcam hooked up to your scope and laptop/pc if thats possible for you.

The main thing is patience.

Also allowing your scope to cool down enough before observing helps.

[Naemeth]

Mars is very small right now, you should get much more detail when it's at opposition on the 8th April 2014 . This is why you need to be patient for Mars .

[LukeSkywatcher]

Mars is very small right now, you should get much more detail when it's at opposition on the 8th April 2014 . This is why you need to be patient for Mars .

There is that too. It just went through opposition in March(?) this year. I had maybe 1 or 2 good observing sessions (measured in minutes).

[Naemeth]

There is that too. It just went through opposition in March(?) this year. I had maybe 1 or 2 good observing sessions (measured in minutes).

Mars's opposition was the 3rd of March, yes.

I can still see Mars in my 130P, but not the polar cap, you're really better waiting, because Mars is moving further and further away relative to Earth right now.

The 2014 Mars opposition will also be much brighter than this year's: -1.47 mag as opposed to -1.22 mag, getting really bright for Mars in 2018 at -2.78 mag.

[JamesF]

That is very true. Mars is receding rapidly and becoming very small now, not to mention taking on a gibbous aspect. Seeing it at all is probably the most you can expect for the remainder of this apparaition unless you have large amounts of aperture.

James

[cotterless45]

Yep,Mars was superb up to and from opposition.We watched the polar ice cap melt as spring progressed.There are a variety of markings on the surface.Be patient, there's plenty other objects out there. Saturn is still good in the Southern sky.

Nick.

[euphony]

I missed the March opposition and basically even with my 11" scope I can see nothing more now than a small red globe, no detail at all, so I wouldn't be too concerned if I was you. The key is patience as the gentlemen above said.

I know it can be quite disheartening when you don't quite get to grasp that moment you think you will, but I have learnt that it will come

[euphony]

there's plenty other objects out there. Saturn is still good in the Southern sky.

Nick.

Definitely

[Aenima]

Thanks ppl, At least I can worry less over whether my scope/ep's are not up to standard, my collimation is still in a learning curve.

Appreciate the input on the subject. Saturn would be my next choice but isnt visible from my obs site - damn trees have leaves now! - and my favourite gas giant isnt out from hugging the sun yet so my mars mission has been my only focus.

I have a modified (basic job) xbox webcam but dont know how to properly use the software or how to best have the settings set. If anyone has a general guide - like say expo - x

gain - y

fps -z

etc I could try to get images to experiment with.

Anyhoo,

Thanks for all the advice folks, cheers

Regards

Jay