Mars - some features, at last !

[John]

Yay !!!

The dust is clearing. I can actually see some recognisable features with my ED120 refractor at 225x.

The dark shape of the Syrtis Major is jutting up from south to north. At the southern base of this feature is Iapygia with the Mare Tyrrhenum and Mare Cimmerium forming a westward leading dark elongated patch. The brighter Hellas Basin is due south of the mass of the Syrtis Major.

Not startling contrast differences between these areas but definitely there and some time at the eyepiece teases them out further.

The red planet starts to reward the visual observer, at last

[Ibbo!]

Good to hear John, The seeing is much better here tonight and I can see detail in the ser file as I am capturing or its the extra 8" the blocks under5 the tripod legs is getting me a bit more clearence above the wall.

[ShrewView]

Mars certainly was a little better tonight. Got the best results with the binoviewers and a uhc filter. Seemed to make the dark area stand out a little more for me. Only really get an hour or so when its due south between the trees, but still good.