Mars opposition

[JohnSadlerAstro]

Hi,

I really want to get some surface detail on Mars during May's opposition, but I'm not sure whether my equipment (or the observer!) is capable of capturing anything worth while.

My equipment is:

Orion SSSS4 webcam

Skywatcher Explorer 130 (diameter 130mm, focal length 900mm)

2XBarlow

EQ2

I am wondering whether  buying a 3Xbarlow, as well as a laser collimator, will help me, or whether I have no hope whatsoever!

Thanks,

John

[PeterCPC]

Mars is a tricky customer to image. Ideally you want a large scope and planetary CCD like a ZWO ASI or similar to get the sort of image scale that you need to see real surface detail. You can deffinitely get an image with a smaller scope like yours but the collimation will be critical. I don't know that web cam I'm afraid so I can't comment on that - hopefully someone else who uses one will be able to comment. Also, the seeing conditions will be crucial to getting a good image. Best thing to do is give it a go and see how it comes out but don't expect too much.

Peter

[ArmyAirForce]

This was my first Mars image in 2012, shortly after getting my scope. It was an 8 inch Skywatcher with a x2 TAL barlow giving 2 metres focal length. The camera was an ancient webcam around 14 years old at the time, so by no means state of the art technology. So yes, if the seeing is good, I'd expect you can get some variation in the surface features, though to what detail level I don't know.

Can you borrow a x3 barlow of someone locally and try it on Jupiter to see if that magnification works ok for detail with your scope before committing to buy? Last year and so far this year for me, imaging planets at x3 hasn't produced great results due to the poor to average seeing we've had. When we got good seeing in 2014 however, I managed this Mars image.

[JohnSadlerAstro]

Thanks Guys,

I think that I'll give it a go as early as I can, and get a laser collimator and 3XBarlow. (I don't know anyone near me that's interested in astronomy) If I find that I do have to get anything extra on top of that, I'll have most of May to get it.

John