What will you use on Mars 2018?

[MarsG76]

1 minute ago, Stu said:

C9.25 and Tak FC-100 for me. I would love to hop on a plane somewhere down south with the Tak and get some better views, but probably not going to be possible.

I still imagine that seeing low in the horizon would be less effected by atmospheric distortion compared to down here in summer, just simply due to the day time temperature here would put more vapor or moisture into the air... 

tou might get very lucky, even if it's only for a few minutes once in the season, better than nothing.

[MarsG76]

3 minutes ago, Moonshane said:

120Ed plus 6" f11 Newtonian plus 16" f4 dob. All depends on where it is in sky and where I am observing from ?

16" from a dry location with mars near zenith... now that would be something...

[Stu]

1 minute ago, MarsG76 said:

I still imagine that seeing low in the horizon would be less effected by atmospheric distortion compared to down here in summer, just simply due to the day time temperature here would put more vapor or moisture into the air... 

tou might get very lucky, even if it's only for a few minutes once in the season, better than nothing.

Perhaps, but at 81 degrees you are looking through dramatically less atmosphere than our measly 13 degrees.

[Solar B]

The night sky normally bores me as little changes , and you do require a dark site , however for Mars i always make 

an expection ... and have fond memories of the opposition 04 or 05 , but as I don't do mirrors it'll have to be a 6" achro

and a peek through my mates ap 152.

 

Brian 

[chiltonstar]

51 minutes ago, Stu said:

C9.25 and Tak FC-100 for me. I would love to hop on a plane somewhere down south with the Tak and get some better views, but probably not going to be possible.

I was very tempted to hop on a plane somewhere for the Saturn apparition to get over the low altitude from the UK - same issue with Mars next year.

The trouble is, I suppose, it's a compromise. If you go by plane you may get a lot more altitude (better seeing) but be limited to a small scope (poorer resolution); perhaps the best compromise is to gain 15 or 16 degrees of altitude by driving your larger scope to eg Malaga or Reggio so that you have good resolution and passable altitude?

Chris

[Dave In Vermont]

51 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

Dave, I just had a look in eBay and googled Mars 2003 filter and I'll tell you that you are a lucky man to be a proud owner of that filter, there's non available anywhere... I'm sure some will be after September tho... :-D but then that's too late...

It's ok, I'm sure I'll have amazing views with the gear and filters I own.

Rats! I just checked too. You're quite right - many others, but it appears the Mars filters are gone.

<grumble, grumble...>

Dave

[MarsG76]

28 minutes ago, Solar B said:

The night sky normally bores me as little changes , and you do require a dark site , however for Mars i always make 

an expection ... and have fond memories of the opposition 04 or 05 , but as I don't do mirrors it'll have to be a 6" achro

and a peek through my mates ap 152.

 

Brian 

I think you mean the mars opposition of 2003.

14 minutes ago, Dave In Vermont said:

Rats! I just checked too. You're quite right - many others, but it appears the Mars filters are gone.

<grumble, grumble...>

Dave

6" achro will be very nice and sharp...

[MarsG76]

15 minutes ago, Dave In Vermont said:

Rats! I just checked too. You're quite right - many others, but it appears the Mars filters are gone.

<grumble, grumble...>

Dave

Unfortunate but true... that's ok, most likely fir the best... I'd prolly spend the cash, spend more than I should and get it.. and I already have too many filters.

[John]

With Mars being low from the UK I reckon refractors might make a better job of cutting through the atmosphere ?

I was certainly impressed with some of the views I got of Mars last year with my fracs even though it was only just above the surrounding bulidings at times. I did get my 12" dob on the planet a couple of times but the fracs did a better job despite the big dob generally being a fine planetary performer normally.

Look at what MikeDnight managed with his 4" Tak back in January when Mars was just 5.3 arc seconds in diameter:

 

[Saganite]

I shall be using this beauty, 5" f15, solid as a rock, and tracking superbly 

The groundwork has moved on since this picture.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, chiltonstar said:

I was very tempted to hop on a plane somewhere for the Saturn apparition to get over the low altitude from the UK - same issue with Mars next year.

The trouble is, I suppose, it's a compromise. If you go by plane you may get a lot more altitude (better seeing) but be limited to a small scope (poorer resolution); perhaps the best compromise is to gain 15 or 16 degrees of altitude by driving your larger scope to eg Malaga or Reggio so that you have good resolution and passable altitude?

Chris

I reckon Peter has it right with his C8 in Tenerife. Aperture with the planets at good altitude.

Like John, I normally find my 4" does as good a job as anything else whilst the planets are so low.

[Freddie]

2 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

I still imagine that seeing low in the horizon would be less effected by atmospheric distortion compared to down here in summer, just simply due to the day time temperature here would put more vapor or moisture into the air... 

tou might get very lucky, even if it's only for a few minutes once in the season, better than nothing.

CPC925 for me.

One thing though, the amount of moisture in the air does not impact on seeing. It will however have an impact on transparancy.

[elliot]

I'll be using a large hill considering 10º is the height of my fence when using a Dob in the garden.  Moon will be out of the way 8th of August...calendar entry made.

[johnfosteruk]

9 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

Seeing that Mars will be about 81 degrees high in my sky,

4" skymax or evostar unless I have a windfall between now and then in which case it'll be a Tak, from your neck of the woods - 81°, that's nuts.

[Paul73]

Hmmmm. I can feel a holiday in south France coming on... 

With a bit of luck I can convince wife & 3 small children to fly down while I drive  with a 16” Dob and an ED120 listening to Pink Floyd.??

Paul

[chiltonstar]

48 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Hmmmm. I can feel a holiday in south France coming on... 

With a bit of luck I can convince wife & 3 small children to fly down while I drive  with a 16” Dob and an ED120 listening to Pink Floyd.??

Paul

Tempting - Perpignan would gain you 10 degrees of altitude, although I'm not sure about the Pink Floyd....

Chris

[mikeDnight]

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.

 

[Alien 13]

I will be mostly using my 90 mm MAK 

Alan

[DaveS]

Assuming I can get it collimated I'll have a go with my 180 mak. My southern aspect is a lot better than from my old house.

[recceranger]

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! ???☘️

[JG777]

7 hours ago, Paul73 said:

Hmmmm. I can feel a holiday in south France coming on... 

With a bit of luck I can convince wife & 3 small children to fly down while I drive  with a 16” Dob and an ED120 listening to Pink Floyd.??

Paul

I'm tempted to do the same  , but with Evo 9.25 and yes some Pink Floyd ?

Will make do with the Aussie PF and of the month ?

[MarsG76]

11 hours ago, Saganite said:

I shall be using this beauty, 5" f15, solid as a rock, and tracking superbly 

The groundwork has moved on since this picture.

That looks like a weapon... nice pier...

 

[MarsG76]

10 hours ago, Freddie said:

CPC925 for me.

One thing though, the amount of moisture in the air does not impact on seeing. It will however have an impact on transparancy.

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

 

[John]

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.

 

[Stu]

9 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

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

 

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