Moon, Mars & Venus 2/1/17

[mikeDnight]

Tonight's observations so far have been the southern cusp of the Moon, Mars at 5.8 arc seconds and Venus at almost 21 arc seconds.

I sketched the southern cusp of the Moon for no reason other than I need the practice.

Mars, although very tiny at 5.8" arc, immediately revealed a dark feature almost central to the disc. Extending away from the central feature in both east and west directions and angled towards the south were dark slender linear markings. The south polar region appeared bright though it would be an exaggeration for me to claim it was the polar cap, though this is likely. The northern limb looked as if it were covered in a cloudy hood. The dark region equating to the central meridian at the time of observation is Solis Lacus.

Venus was very well placed and slight cloud top detail revealed itself easily. The southern cusp was significantly brighter than the northern cusp, and a bright region was detected along the terminator extending across the already bright cloud cover. Although still technically gibbous the phase appeared to be at first quarter, with undulations along the terminator.

Thanks for looking! ☺

Mike

 

 

[Stu]

Lovely sketches as always Mike.

I had a reasonable look at both this evening. Mars showed a dark marking across the area shown in your sketch, plus, I think, two brighter areas.

Venus however showed a nice phase, but I could not see any form of surface markings. Did you use a filter of any sort?

[John]

Lovely sketches and observation Mike

I could see the Martian main feature that you have sketched but I needed my 12" dob and 300x plus to see it !

You have the sharpest eye that I've ever come across I believe

[Chris]

It's amazing what you can do with a 4" scope!

I was torn between my ED100 and my 200mm Takumar prime lens this evening, ended up snapping the sky with the latter. 

[mikeDnight]

50 minutes ago, Stu said:

Lovely sketches as always Mike.

I had a reasonable look at both this evening. Mars showed a dark marking across the area shown in your sketch, plus, I think, two brighter areas.

Venus however showed a nice phase, but I could not see any form of surface markings. Did you use a filter of any sort?

Hi Stu,

No filter was used though I believe a Wrattan 11 yellow is supposed to help at times. I tend to look for the brightest areas rather than the subtle shadings. The c usps are usually the brightest but they are not always the same or equal to eachother. Extending from the c usps the brightness travels around the limb, usually widening out at the equator. There can at times be a bright area or areas along the terminator. Once I've located the bright regions the shaded areas seem to become more obvious, but they are never easy. 

For decades some visual observers have managed to detect these features while others have struggled. Apparently some observers can be more uv sensitive than others! More recently the Y shaped cloud formation has been imaged repeatedly, giving credibility to the previously doubted visual observations. I have no doubt that the darkening up against the bright c usps is at least in part a contrast effect, but the subtle darkening extending from the terminator away from the cusps are apparently real.

I've attached a sketch from yesterday as comparison.

Mike.

 

[Uplooker]

Hi Mike,

Great report and sketches. Did you not have a look for Neptune?

I only had one hour this evening before tea cut things short.

Well done again.

[JeremyS]

Wonderful sketches, Mike!

Jeremy

[mikeDnight]

10 minutes ago, Uplooker said:

Hi Mike,

Great report and sketches. Did you not have a look for Neptune?

I only had one hour this evening before tea cut things short.

Well done again.

No looking for Neptune tonight I'm afraid! I had to break off observing to make the tea, and I completed the sketches from the rough eyepiece scribblings while the pans boiled dry. ? I went out afterwards with every intention of sketching a fuzzy or two. Unfortunately after looking through the now freezing cold scope at perfect star images the clouds rolled in. They must have thought I'd had too much of a good time for one day. 

Mike 

[Moonshane]

Amazing Mike!

[mikeDnight]

42 minutes ago, Moonshane said:

Amazing Mike!

Thankyou! But will you please tell my wife that?! 

Mike

 

[Moonshane]

Oh surely no need

[mikeDnight]

12 hours ago, Moonshane said:

Oh surely no need