Mars - 5th January 2014

[dweller25]

By chance I Woke up at 6:30am and incredibly it was clear, so quickly set up the scope for a look at Mars....

With seeing at AIV and Mars at just  7.1' arc seconds Mars is still not giving away much detail.

I watched from darkness to Sunrise hoping the brightening sky might improve the view -  but alas no.....

The strong Orange disk showed a still evident phase of 90% and a White Northern polar cap. The dark hood around the polar cap could just be seen. That's all folks !!

Observing details - Intes Micro 715 at x202, seeing AIV, Mars altitude 26', CM : 322', Diameter 7.1", Phase 90%, Temp 1'C, 0645UT to 0745UT

[Ben Smith]

That's pretty good assuming tho it is still very far away. I woke early just 2 weeks ago and couldn't even make out the cap.

[Mike73]

You still did very well considering the how small it is, the magnification you used and only AIV!!

I'd notch that up as a success.

[tingting44]

glad your early wake up on a sunday morning was worth it, is that your own picture?

[Ben Smith]

Still abit of a noob. What does AIV stand for?

[dweller25]

Ben, Mike, TingTing - thanks very much.

@Mike - Have you tried your Mak yet ?

@TingTing - It's a pencil drawing that I did at the eyepiece in rough and then did neatly indoors.

@Ben - A-IV is a measurement of the seeing condition, A-I being perfect and A-V being terrible.

[Matthew]

As always David another cracking sketch.

[tingting44]

thats awsome for a sketch!!!

[Mike73]

@Mike - Have you tried your Mak yet ?

Haven't got it yet, its being delivered sometime this week.

The good news is that I have two weeks off work so thats lots of observing opportunities!

[Mr Flibble]

Mars can be so tricky to observe so hats off for getting detail at the polar cap

[Jason71]

Nice sketch David. Looks good.

[dweller25]

Matthew, Dai, Jason - thanks very much - More detail to come over the next few months....