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Mars and Saturn

kerrylewis

By kerrylewis
in Observing - Planetary

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kerrylewis

kerrylewis

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Managed to get up at 3.30 for the Mars and Saturn Show. We seem to be getting a series of clear mornings here but they follow wet evenings so I have not been able to set up the bigger scope but have left the grab n go set up under a shelter - 100mm refractor on a Portamount. Seeing was better than of late and some detail visible on Mars. Couldn't see the polar cap but there were two distinct dark areas with a lighter area between and to the western side, I did a (very) rough sketch which agrees with the planetarium app view, and that's always saisfying. Saturn was sharpish and a crisper view came and went with the seeing. Good '3D' view with the Cassini in the good moments. Worth getting up for. 

Similar forecast for tonight but I may try the big setup under my trusty plastic sheet so I can take advantage of the Vixen 150 in the morning. 

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Special K

Special K

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Great results Kerry!  Love that 3D view, though it is fleeting as it comes and goes.  The Jet stream certainly has been playing havoc with the seeing and spoiling this cold snap we've been having.  However there looks to be a break from tonight through tomorrow morning so I'm also hoping to get out there overnight.  The time if first light is steadily advancing so the dawn watch is getting much earlier  

Here's hoping for clear skies of course!

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kerrylewis

kerrylewis

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14 minutes ago, laudropb said:

Well done Kerry. Worth the early rise.

Yes it was. Got up again this morning and I suspect that the seeing was about the same - but  I had set up the Vixen 150 so had a better view . More aperture and a solid tracking mount meant that I got a clearer view of the features on Mars . Saturn's clarity came and went and now and again was excellent with the Cassini division visible and the rings showing that lovely 3D effect as they go in front of and behind the disc. 

I love that first view of Saturn as it sits like a jewel against the black sky and younger the focus right. There is no finer sight. 

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Special K

Special K

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I got up for Mars this morning at 2pm, Kerry, but found the seeing still not allowing me a crisp focus again. It's a shame as every other condition seemed ideal......could even see some Milky Way!  

However, I could make out two dark albedo features in the disc at 129x: one patch SW, and one patch NE. Wondering if you saw anything similar?  I also picked up a faint whiteness near the North Pole but it wasn't very distinct.  

I couldn't get a prime focus on Saturn either but sounds like you persevered more and paid off. :)  When I looked at the moon at equal altitude it gave the seeing game away: loads of waves which was messing with our view. I'm not sure about my Jetstream forecast now.....!

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Stu

Stu

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34 minutes ago, Special K said:

I got up for Mars this morning at 2pm, Kerry, but found the seeing still not allowing me a crisp focus again. It's a shame as every other condition seemed ideal......could even see some Milky Way!  

However, I could make out two dark albedo features in the disc at 129x: one patch SW, and one patch NE. Wondering if you saw anything similar?  I also picked up a faint whiteness near the North Pole but it wasn't very distinct.  

I couldn't get a prime focus on Saturn either but sounds like you persevered more and paid off. :)  When I looked at the moon at equal altitude it gave the seeing game away: loads of waves which was messing with our view. I'm not sure about my Jetstream forecast now.....!

I caught similar detail on Mars last night in the four inch, Kevin. Two dark features, and the small polar cap. I wasn't expecting to see Mars last night but it just sneaked into the gap between two houses so it was a nice surprise! ?. Seeing wasn't brilliant, and it's so low!!

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kerrylewis

kerrylewis

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Clear forecast tonight but jet stream forecast not so good. GRS transit due later so will give that a shot. Meanwhile I have prepared a list of other targets if Jupiter is not worth spending time on. The Vixen is great on doubles Stu (as I'm sure you know)! I have a few photocopies of pages from the Cambridge Double Star Atlas as standby :icon_biggrin:

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kerrylewis

kerrylewis

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Today was the morning I've been waiting for; gorgeous steady seeing for both planets. Up to 225x with the Vixen 150, Mars was showing clear dark areas sharp against the orange/red background. Saturn like a cut-out against the black sky with the Cassini division clear all around. Subtle detail was visible elsewhere in the rings and on the planet itself. Astonishing seeing given the low position of these two. I have an unofficial scale of seeing quality which I use in my journal ranging from 0 (mush) to 5 (tack sharp) - well today was 4 and occasionally 4.5! (as comparison yesterday was average around 3).

I went from one planet to the other revelling in the view. At one point in the morning Mars always goes behind the telegraph pole in the street - but that's fine a bit longer with Saturn. The contrast boost filter improved things slightly but when conditions are good the difference, with and without, is less noticeable. A real thrill to just soak up the views until the sky was lightening, the birds singing and it was time to go back to bed for a while. As a solar system junkie, it's times like this (with lovely views of Jupiter and a shadow transit last night too) that make it all so rewarding. 

 

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kerrylewis

kerrylewis

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Another beautiful morning, seeing not quite so good as yesterday, maybe 3.5/4 on my scale. Still lovely views of detail on Mars: two distinct dark areas (must look up the names) . Saturn looking sharp with the Cassini division visible all round the rings in the good moments, and subtle bands on the planet. We are being spoilt! 

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Stub Mandrel

Stub Mandrel

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I'm hoping I had some success imaging Mars last night. When I had a go at visual it was far to bright to see any detail, even with a barlow, at x240, just an intense white-orange disc to my dark-adapted-ish eyes.

I was getting ready to image and only had a short window so I didn't spend time trying filters. I have a moonglow + RGB but I guess they would not be the best for mars. Would an ND filter help?

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Grotemobile

Grotemobile

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I was another 3.30 riser, to do some imaging on Mars & Saturn. Mars seems to be showing more detail

as it gets closer.  Just got possess the images now. I was hoping for better seeing conditions. It always

says the weather is better, than it turns out to be.:happy9:

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