Mars moons, Phobos & Deimos

[MarsG76]

19 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

I would be surprised if it were a FOV problem - the M/D distance appears to have been about twice the M/P distance and on roughly the same line as star-Phobos. That point would appear to be well within the frame.

Years back in read that it required at least a 12" aperture to view the Martian moons, but scopes have improved a bit since the 60s so it may be possible with an 8" today. Either way it is good you got such a great view if the planetary detail.

i would think that the moons are well within reach of an 8" SCT when the glare is under control.... A bigger scope would make the glare problem worse and therefore blockout the faint light reflected by Phobos and Deimos.

 

[Demonperformer]

Is glare a problem visually? As the scope gets bigger, the light gets spread out over a wider area and so you can keep seeing details on the planet no matter how big the scope. But a bigger scope has increased resolution allowing you to "split" objects closer together and so the moons (which are so small any amateur scope would show them only as points of light like stars) close to the planet become easier to see. At least, that's my take on it, but I am not primarily "visual" so may be way off-beam.

[orion25]

19 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

Definitely does... now to do a 4 hours time lapse of the moon orbiting Mars...

That will be fantastic! ?

[MarsG76]

1 hour ago, orion25 said:

That will be fantastic! ?

Would be...although I'd have to get a good still and clear night soon to do it... raining right now...

[Pete Presland]

A fine capture, not something I have ever consider doing before now.

[MarsG76]

5 hours ago, Pete Presland said:

A fine capture, not something I have ever consider doing before now.

Another good hunt is Jupiter's 5th possibly visible moon... reading up about it, some astronomers have spotted it using the same glare shielding technique needed for Phobos and Deimos.

[Demonperformer]

3 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

Another good hunt is Jupiter's 5th possibly visible moon...

Didn't go back to this and it's a bit late in the season now, but will have to have another go when it returns.

[MarsG76]

25 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

Didn't go back to this and it's a bit late in the season now, but will have to have another go when it returns.

That's is awesome.... Give it another go when Jupiter is back... I certainly will.....