Observing Mars and its rotation period.

[maw lod qan]

This past week we had good skies and Mars was looking very nice.

If I'm thinking correctly, with it's rotation period being close to ours, when I go out about the same time, I'm going to see the same area just about every time, with possibly a little change.

Am I thinking right with this line of thought?

[Stu]

30 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

This past week we had good skies and Mars was looking very nice.

If I'm thinking correctly, with it's rotation period being close to ours, when I go out about the same time, I'm going to see the same area just about every time, with possibly a little change.

Am I thinking right with this line of thought?

The position does rotate each night, this is a video and GIF of it over the next 16 nights.

[Pixies]

Yes - it appears to rotate a little in reverse, when viewed on consecutive nights at the same time.

[RobertI]

Nice illustration from Stu. Another way to look at it is a feature will be in the same position 37 minutes later each night, so you can concentrate on one feature for a couple of weeks if you are prepared to stay up late! It will take 5.5 weeks for the feature to be back in the same place at the same time.

Edited September 5, 2020 by RobertI

[Stu]

1 hour ago, RobertI said:

Nice illustration from Stu. Another way to look at it is a feature will be in the same position 37 minutes later each night, so you can concentrate on one feature for a couple of weeks if you are prepared to stay up late! It will take 5.5 weeks for the feature to be back in the same place at the same time.

Out of interest, how do you calculate that Robert? Or did you find it referenced somewhere?

[RobertI]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Out of interest, how do you calculate that Robert? Or did you find it referenced somewhere?

I was coincidentally reading “Observational Astronomy” this morning and this information appeared in the chapter on Observing Mars. Hope its still relevant  👍