1st Ever Mars Image 09_07_18

[Grimbles]

Hi Everyone

To date, for one reason or another I have been unable to image Mars.  However, I managed to get this early hours on the 9th July it appears that one or two details are starting to peep through the dust storm. I did take some IR images with the ZWO 850nm in the hope of combining with the RGB  but they all suffered quite badly from the rind effect so were not used in the end.

Taken with skymax 150 pro, ASI224 MC, ZWO ADC at 2500 FL (according to Firecapture) . Recorded at 68fps, 304x300 ROI, stacked 1500 frames from 5500. Processed with PIPP, AS!2 and PS.

I just hope that it is the polar regions I can see and not something as a result of my failure to use the ADC correctly.

Thanks

Martin

[souls33k3r]

Cracking first image mate 

[Davey-T]

Well done Martin, looks like the dust may be settling, all I got last week was polar caps.

Dave

[celestron8g8]

Great capture ! Is that 1800mm like 6 or 7 inch in size ? 

[Grimbles]

33 minutes ago, celestron8g8 said:

Great capture ! Is that 1800mm like 6 or 7 inch in size ? 

Hi

Hi, thank you, yes it is the 150mm (6 in) 1800mm focal length, but all the bits and bobs in the imaging train, flip mirror, Filter wheel, ADC, SCT focuser pushes the focal length upto about 2400 / 2500 according to the firecapture log.

[dweller25]

Excellent capture - yes as you say a little more surface detail now ?

[orion25]

Excellent first image! Your getting reflections off the polar regions from sublimated ice; your ADC is working correctly! I see some detail there, more than I got four nights ago - there's hope!

Reggie

[carastro]

Amazing for a first image.

Carole 

[morimarty]

Thats a great first image Martin. You should be really pleased with yourself.

[chiltonstar]

A very nice image! I don't know about the dust settling as last night (visual) there was less detail than I have seen of late, but we have to hope that it clears soon. Any idea how long dust storms last on Mars?

Chris

[Stub Mandrel]

Nice!

I could see some very faint detail when getting subs last night, so excited to see what happens when they are processed.

Hopefully the dust is settling now.

[Grimbles]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for all the kind comments, as I said Mars has eluded me over the last few years since taking up this great hobby, mainly due to a combination of poor weather and work commitments, so really pleased to get this at last also this was my first night with the 224MC, a bit different from my trusty QHY5l-iic, so still learning how to get the best out of this camera.

 I have tried to find out how long these dust storms typically last but I don't think there is a definitive answer, so as with everyone else I am hoping things improve before the end of the month.

Fingers crossed

 

Martin

[BRADLEY 1953]

That is a beautiful first image of Mars, especially given the massive dust storm in progress, well done.    Chris.

[Pete Presland]

A fine looking image, with some very subtle detail visible. Looks like the ADC is working fine to me as well.