What will you use on Mars 2018?

[MarsG76]

9 hours ago, johnfosteruk said:

81°, that's nuts

Near Zenith.... I can't wait.

 

[MarsG76]

4 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I had a wonderful time observing Mars in 2016 despite the very low angle. So, if the weather permits, I'll be using the same small aperture refractor from the same UK site in the hope of getting some good views.

 

Nice sketches... Looking at the trend, and in me experience, if larger aperture scopes are more susceptible to seeing/atmopheric turbulance than perhaps a smaller frac is the better tool for Mars when it is situated at a low altitude. Larger aperture would most likely be beneficial at high latitude observations.

 Hope you get some nice views, but seeing that Mars will be considerable closer and bigger then in 2016, I'm sure you will have some memorable views.

[Freddie]

58 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

Effected seeing or transparency, either way it's not helping on seeing detail.

 

That's true but best not to mix up the two technical terms as they are caused by completely different things and have completely different impacts on imaging.

[MarsG76]

2 hours ago, recceranger said:

MAK 150 Pro on HEQ5 from my front garden in Brecon Beacons NP. Not a street light in sight, just me a my neighbourhood bat colony for company! ???☘️

That sounds great... my home is in a quite dark location (dark at times, has it's moments) but it could be better. Your description sounds like you're in a pitch black spot.... you must have seen some deep details in DSOs.

[MarsG76]

54 minutes ago, John said:

Sometimes I find observing planets through a very thin layer of cloud actually helps with seeing the contrast of their surface features - rather like a subtle natural filter. Transparency is important for deep sky objects but not so much for planetary observing IMHO. Steady seeing is what is needed for getting the best from the planets. Twilight can be another help in seeing planetary contrast.

 

Thanks for the tip... come to think of it, there have been times when I thought, "Eh, high cloud haze, prolly won't see too much" than look at Jupiter or Saturn and get blow away with the detail.

53 minutes ago, Stu said:

Poor seeing will have far more of an impact on planetary views than poor transparency.

As stated above.. I guess the reason is that planets are bright enough to punch through the haze...

 

[MarsG76]

6 minutes ago, Freddie said:

That's true but best not to mix up the two technical terms as they are caused by completely different things and have completely different impacts on imaging.

Thats true too.. like I stated before that in the past there have been times when I thought that I wouldn't see too much detail than get blown away with the detail I see on Jupiter or Saturn... The way I see it, is not to judge the night sky too quickly and just have a look, there have been surprises way too often... both pleasant and disappointing surprises.

[Stu]

8 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

As stated above.. I guess the reason is that planets are bright enough to punch through the haze...

 

Yep, you've got it  

[nightfisher]

Its making me thing we should maybe have a mars star mini star party, maybe some place high up in wales, because i dont see me getting much of a chance up here with all the naff weather we get, i might take the EQ5 and 127 Mak over to Diggly near Holmfirth one night

[MarsG76]

10 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Its making me thing we should maybe have a mars star mini star party, maybe some place high up in wales, because i dont see me getting much of a chance up here with all the naff weather we get, i might take the EQ5 and 127 Mak over to Diggly near Holmfirth one night

That might be an idea... get a few people with various sized scopes into one place and that way everyone can have a look at mars and other objects through various instruments.

The ones without a telescope can be included this way also... the way I see it, a night can be chosen near the opposition, but a couple of weeks prior on a night with the first quarter moon phase...

This way interested people can see the Moon at its best, move on to Jupiter and Saturn and onto Mars as the moon sets, than as a final touch as is moonless target some Globulars, nebulae and galaxies... would be a great memorable night of viewing, especially for newbies.

[RobertI]

I'll be using the C8. I had some wonderful views of Jupiter earlier this year, the best I've ever had actually. I'm thinking I may need to employ a filter or two to get the best out of Mars. I also have a Tal 100 RS which give good views, but the image is dimmer and  cannot compete with the C8 on detail when the seeing is good. If seeing is poor I might try the Tal To see if its one of those nights  where smaller aperture can out perform larger aperture.

[recceranger]

On 21/10/2017 at 23:35, MarsG76 said:

That sounds great... my home is in a quite dark location (dark at times, has it's moments) but it could be better. Your description sounds like you're in a pitch black spot.... you must have seen some deep details in DSOs.

I have mate, great views of Globular with the MAK and when you can pick out M31 with the naked eye you know it’s not to shabby at all???

[MarsG76]

3 hours ago, recceranger said:

I have mate, great views of Globular with the MAK and when you can pick out M31 with the naked eye you know it’s not to shabby at all???

No, not too shabby at all.... 

i know you consistently have the views I get once a year...

[Highburymark]

On 21/10/2017 at 18:47, mikeDnight said:

I had a wonderful time observing Mars in 2016 despite the very low angle. So, if the weather permits, I'll be using the same small aperture refractor from the same UK site in the hope of getting some good views.

 

Nice set up Mike - how are you finding the AZ5 with the FC?

I'll also be using a 4" Tak for Mars, hopefully from Menorca, though the little Balearic island is becoming increasingly light polluted.

[MarsG76]

38 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Nice set up Mike - how are you finding the AZ5 with the FC?

I'll also be using a 4" Tak for Mars, hopefully from Menorca, though the little Balearic island is becoming increasingly light polluted.

Light pollution shouldn't affect the view of planets at all... if anything it might help the view as the contrast between the planet and the blackness of space is deceased.

[Stub Mandrel]

I'll use my trusty 150PL, although i may invest in an ADC as it will improve other planets as well.

[mikeDnight]

On 24/10/2017 at 12:16, Highburymark said:

Nice set up Mike - how are you finding the AZ5 with the FC?

I'll also be using a 4" Tak for Mars, hopefully from Menorca, though the little Balearic island is becoming increasingly light polluted.

Hi Mark,

The AZ5 carries the FC100 very well, so I'm pleased with it. The slow motion controls work well and will come in handy for when I'm using high powers. Mars will be higher from Menorca than from the UK, so as long as there's no local heat or turbulence, at 24 arc seconds you should get some great views. Last year Mars only reached 16" arc, so I'm hoping to get catch a bit more detail in 2018.

[Highburymark]

On 24/10/2017 at 12:57, MarsG76 said:

Light pollution shouldn't affect the view of planets at all... if anything it might help the view as the contrast between the planet and the blackness of space is deceased.

I didn't really explain - what I meant is that increasing light pollution is putting me off Menorca as a holiday destination. We've been going to the same small hotel for over a decade, but the skies just aren't as dark as they were. Living in London, astronomy is a big part of my holidays, so am thinking of a darker location next year - Greek islands maybe.

[Highburymark]

4 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Hi Mark,

The AZ5 carries the FC100 very well, so I'm pleased with it. The slow motion controls work well and will come in handy for when I'm using high powers. Mars will be higher from Menorca than from the UK, so as long as there's no local heat or turbulence, at 24 arc seconds you should get some great views. Last year Mars only reached 16" arc, so I'm hoping to get catch a bit more detail in 2018.

Thanks Mike. (apologies for diverting the thread.).

 

[niallk]

15" Dob ... and possibly some knee pads

This was the angle binoviewing on Saturn earlier this year Quite nice views despite being low in the crud... the jetstream was off ruining someone else's seeing. I had some lovely detail on Mars with this scope in 2016.

[MarsG76]

On 26/10/2017 at 00:29, mikeDnight said:

Last year Mars only reached 16" arc, so I'm hoping to get catch a bit more detail in 2018

I dare say that with a 50% increase in area & size you will see considerably more detail than in 2016.

[MarsG76]

17 hours ago, niallk said:

15" Dob ... and possibly some knee pads

This was the angle binoviewing on Saturn earlier this year Quite nice views despite being low in the crud... the jetstream was off ruining someone else's seeing. I had some lovely detail on Mars with this scope in 2016.

Nice... awesone scope...

at that angle you won't need a step ladder.

[MarsG76]

20 hours ago, Highburymark said:

I didn't really explain - what I meant is that increasing light pollution is putting me off Menorca as a holiday destination. We've been going to the same small hotel for over a decade, but the skies just aren't as dark as they were. Living in London, astronomy is a big part of my holidays, so am thinking of a darker location next year - Greek islands maybe.

Talk about a bummer... inconsiderate development... light it all up in the name of the all mighty dollar... 

hiding the sky from new generations, let's not get started on the health effects on overly illuminated nights... 

but hey, you might see mars at a higher altitude, so there's the silver lining.

[paulastro]

Coo, I wish the altitude was over 80 degrees here, alas in darkest Yorkshire it will only be something like 10 degrees 42', more of this later.

I'll be using an Equinox 120ED refractor on a GP Equatorial mount kindly converted by Peter Drew to a GP Altaz, which I personally find more convenient for comfortable observing, I'm purely a visual man.  For those who don't know, whilst the older Vixen SP can simply have the altitude adjusted to perform as an altaz, to convert a GP requires a good saw and a file, plus a couple of bits including elastic bands in my case!

I'll be using an extended dew shield, (though this shouldn't be necessary at opposition in July!), my Baader Maxbright Binoviewer, two Baader Mk111 zooms and a x2 barlow element screwed into the nosepiece of the binoviewer.

I'll also have a four inch aperture stop available for the 120ED if it should be necessary.  This isn't as strange as it sounds, at such low altitudes in the UK, the seeing may sometimes be better with four inches aperture than five.  I'd also suggest those using telescopes of six inch and over have some suitable aperture stops.  A twenty inch dob won't be a lot of good at such low altitudes unless the seeing is very good indeed.  Bigger is not always better

I wont be able to get Mars from my observatory, so I'll be using this mount as a portable option.  I'll also have some sites I can travel to at various locations both locally and across the country where the horizon  will be better, and in some cases more amiably weather than Yorkshire.

If I should come into some money before next July, I'll be many miles away from Yorkshire!!

 

 

 

 

[kerrylewis]

I’ll be using these and really looking forward to it despite the poor positioning.

I’m going to give the Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (ADC) a go too. I haven’t really given it a good test since buying it but this seems like the  ideal circumstances 

[MarsG76]

43 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Coo, I wish the altitude was over 80 degrees here, alas in darkest Yorkshire it will only be something like 10 degrees 42', more of this later.

I'll be using an Equinox 120ED refractor on a GP Equatorial mount kindly converted by Peter Drew to a GP Altaz, which I personally find more convenient for comfortable observing, I'm purely a visual man.  For those who don't know, whilst the older Vixen SP can simply have the altitude adjusted to perform as an altaz, to convert a GP requires a good saw and a file, plus a couple of bits including elastic bands in my case!

I'll be using an extended dew shield, (though this shouldn't be necessary at opposition in July!), my Baader Maxbright Binoviewer, two Baader Mk111 zooms and a x2 barlow element screwed into the nosepiece of the binoviewer.

I'll also have a four inch aperture stop available for the 120ED if it should be necessary.  This isn't as strange as it sounds, at such low altitudes in the UK, the seeing may sometimes be better with four inches aperture than five.  I'd also suggest those using telescopes of six inch and over have some suitable aperture stops.  A twenty inch dob won't be a lot of good at such low altitudes unless the seeing is very good indeed.  Bigger is not always better

I wont be able to get Mars from my observatory, so I'll be using this mount as a portable option.  I'll also have some sites I can travel to at various locations both locally and across the country where the horizon  will be better, and in some cases more amiably weather than Yorkshire.

If I should come into some money before next July, I'll be many miles away from Yorkshire!!

 

 

 

 

Nice gear... Hopefully you will have some great seeing that wil counter the Low altitude.