Mars viewing / imaging

[Rob]

Checked out Starry night pro for the first nights to offer a reasonable time to view Mars. Around the 10th of Sept looks to be a good start time, 10.30pm offers quite a nice height in sky to allow our red friend to breach the atmosphere crud zone!!

Roll on Mars

Rob

[AndyMac]

Mars already looks a grand site in the morning skies for those of us who have been up on an all-nighter - or early risers. I admire those who try to get good images of this difficult target, too. I'm not a planetary imager, myself, but I wish the rest of you the Best of British in getting some good results around this favourable opposition time.

[Rob]

Ditto on that Andy

[Rob]

I of course don't have the stamina of staying up all night to view / image!!... hence checking the timings for sensible viewing. I do indeed take my hat off to those that do!!!

8)

[Ant]

I agree as well, all nighters are for the young... But Russ did persuade me that the best time to Image the planets was the early hours.

So up I got at 4am to image Jupiter (about 18 months ago) and actually got the only Jupiter image that I was happy with, it's really by far the best I've ever managed.

So veiwing / imaging before dawn is by far the better bet. It's just blumming hard.

I'll be getting the webcam out for Mars in the coming months...

Ant

[OXO]

Mars this morning when the seeing calmed down was simply stunning :shock: very big in the Etx125 with a 10mm ep with lot's of details coming through as you can see below from a drawing i did (no betteries for the etx ). Seeing was mostly awful mars being so low and myself looking through the street light's light but when it was good BOY was it good.

Well worth the wait and effort!

James

[russ]

c'mon you lot what's wrong with you. All this nonsense of waiting until it's an evening object. 10.30pm indeed. That's for wimps. Get up at 3am and see Mars like a man

Besides, the best views of i got in 2003 were through July and early August. By opposition Mars was a waste of time.

The view of Mars i got 2 weeks ago were well worth the effort of getting up at 2.30am.

So good on ya James for getting up. And a nice drawing too.

Russ

[Astroman]

Get up at 3am and see Mars like a man

Besides, the best views of i got in 2003 were through July and early August. By opposition Mars was a waste of time.

Russ

Exactly right, Russ! The seeing tends to settle down after midnight, and the views can be spectacular. Early is the way to go.

I especially agree with your thoughts on Mars before the opposition. Good call! 8)

[russ]

Exactly right, Russ! The seeing tends to settle down after midnight, and the views can be spectacular. Early is the way to go.

Astroman, it's nice to know someone else appreciates the early hours.

It really is amazing how much steadier the air becomes after midnight. And there's something about the early hours....a wonderful time of day. I know Ant thinks i'm barking mad but it so quiet and so still.

Number one tip......please do not wait for opposition night to see Mars!!

Russ

[OXO]

Couldnt agree more with those words Russ plus you never know here in the uk it may rain all month :shock:

James

[Rob]

Sorry old chum its a late night object for me!!!... I just can't do those early morning jobbies!! :? :roll:

[AndyMac]

Must admit that I'm not one for setting the alarm for the early hours. It's either an all-nighter or nowt for me.

This thread shows that every forum has its die-hards!

[Ant]

I know Ant thinks i'm barking mad but it so quiet and so still.

Russ

Yep quite right Russ I do. But even the MAD have a few moments of clarity... and getting up in the early hours to observe Jupiter was the best thing that I did.

I'm just not good at getting up in the early hours - and the thought of an all nighter fills me with dread. Cause I know that come 6am I'll be battered by my two year old to get up and play...

Ant