New Year Mars 2019

[Moonshane]

My garden faces north so this is the first time I managed (have bothered) to sit down and sketch it this apparition BV as it appeared over my house. I confess to wondering what on Earth the bright orange star was for a few seconds!

Here's what I sketched (in rough then transferred to my notebook). And below it, the Calsky view with my scope. Not a bad likeness considering the current apparent size of 7.43 arc seconds!

   

[AstroFin]

Very impressive amount of detail considering the apparent size of Mars! 

[Alan White]

Nice one Shane,
even better that you have a clear sky.
It cleared here for 20 mins then its clouded out.
 

[MarsG76]

Mars is getting quite far now but you seemed to see a fair bit of detail

 

[dweller25]

@Moonshane

Great drawing - I was out a little earlier at 17:00 with a 4” refractor at x280 and whilst the view was surprisingly sharp, Mars was very small but did show a strong phase and the central dark area you caught in your drawing along with the brighter left hemisphere.

I suspect it was an easier observation in your 12” scope though 

[Moonshane]

cheers David

The seeing was a bit poor but yes, the fact I could see anything was helped by the aperture I am sure. I actually wished I'd put out the 120mm Eqionox as this would have been on the HEQ5 and therefore would have allowed a bit more concentration. Nice to have such choices I suppose.

[mikeDnight]

That's an excellent sketch Shane, showing some nice detail. Can't wait to see more sketches in the future! 

[orion25]

Cool sketch, Shane! I've slowed down quite a bit on Mars now and I'm glad to see others still giving it some attention  

Reggie

[Moonshane]

I was certainly squinting a bit ?

[chiltonstar]

A very nice sketch - way beyond my sketching abilities (artistic skills of a carrot, according to my school art teacher).

Very sharp and detailed tonight even at 7.1 arcsec diameter, with clearly recognizable dark features and a "hint" of a whiter oval at the S Pole. (grab 'n go 127 Mak on a Porta2).

Just a shame that the haze has taken so long to clear; why couldn't Mars have  put on a better show some months back?!

Chris