Good News for Mars - I Hope!

[orion25]

Hi, all. Just a quick note after a brief night of observing following a thunderstorm (first clear night in days - hey, that's kinda clever - NOT). I focused in on Mars and was able to make out some detail visually - I believe the Mare Tyrrhenum and Mare Cimmerium regions! Not very dark, but definitely there, kinda shadowy. I tried the Orion filter which helped bring out the features a bit more. Couldn't see any polar albedo features though. I'm still waiting on my Celestron filter to compare. I didn't have time to do any imaging, but if things keep looking up, I may be able to get some significant detail this weekend (if the clouds don't rain on my parade)!

 

Clear skies on Mars!
Reggie

[Stub Mandrel]

I've been surprised how some people have been able to image polar features (possibly cloud rather than ice) and others haven't, while the amount of (lack of!) detail elsewhere is pretty much the same. I suppose it may depend on using certain filters.

I've bought an IR pass filter to in the hope of getting some decent Mars images over the next couple of weeks. It's an unmounted 31mm filter so I may have to keep it in my filter wheel with blu-tack - please don't tell anyone ?

[orion25]

15 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I've been surprised how some people have been able to image polar features (possibly cloud rather than ice) and others haven't, while the amount of (lack of!) detail elsewhere is pretty much the same. I suppose it may depend on using certain filters.

I've bought an IR pass filter to in the hope of getting some decent Mars images over the next couple of weeks. It's an unmounted 31mm filter so I may have to keep it in my filter wheel with blu-tack - please don't tell anyone ?

Your secret is safe with me, Neil

[Rob]

Ooooo good.. We like good news about Mars!.. Lets hope its really starting to settle now

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

... so I may have to keep it in my filter wheel with blu-tack - please don't tell anyone ?

I consider blu-tack a standard astro accessory lol used it to mount a DSLR filter into an M48-T2 adapter.

 

[pipnina]

19 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

I consider blu-tack a standard astro accessory lol used it to mount a DSLR filter into an M48-T2 adapter.

So long as it doesn't come unstuck and drop the filter onto any mirrors or lenses... I would be terrified of that happening since blu-tack I've used usually can't hold a poster to a wall for very long.

 

On the original topic, I hope mars does clear up soon! My best bets for mars I think are in the next opposition (when it will be 30 degrees higher!) mostly because my southern horizon is rather tall (I live at the bottom of a hill)

[cotterless45]

It's  Ben very frustrating ! Last time out , Mars was low , but not a wobble on the huge bland disc ! Spent ages getting the image of dust out of my eye ! C'mon Mars !

Nick.