Another Hour With Mars

[globular]

A break in the clouds forecast? Only 48 hours since the last one? Too good to miss so I set up, got the scope cooled and waited.

I was rewarded with about an hour of good Mars viewing and another go at sketching.

I'm loving the extra detail I see when I sketch. It helps me keep my eye at the eyepiece and really study all the areas of the planet - not just the obvious dark bits.

 

[markse68]

Lovely sketch Globular   I think you are seeing a lot more surface contrast differences than I am- I need to play around more with filters I think. Only in the briefest moments of perfect clarity do i get slightest hints that the S hemisphere is generally darker than the N. Glad I got to see Mars again tonight- the thought of it making its way off again has me panicking a bit lol

[globular]

Thanks @markse68

I too will be sad to see Mars recede - I'm devoting most of my all to brief clear sessions to it while it's so good.

Maybe my bortle 4/5 verses your 8/9 makes a difference when it comes to finer detail?
Putting them side by side I think we spotted very similar S hemisphere features. Your technique is better than mine though 😛 - although I think we'll both improve with practise.

[globular]

48 minutes ago, markse68 said:

I need to play around more with filters I think

Tonight I found more detail showing without filters than with - except perhaps a brief period with an ND 0.9.
This is in contrast to two nights ago where I found a variety of coloured filters helped highlight different features.
It seems there is no 'one rule fits all' in this game.
 

Edited October 16, 2020 by globular

[globular]

An image posted by @astroman001 from about the same time as another comparison.
(Hope you don't mind astroman?)
Amazing detail on the image.  Makes me happy I'm seeing at least some of the details that are there to see.

[markse68]

That’s great Glob! very accurate. Did you notice Olympus Mons? I made an effort to spot it but not even a hint of it.

I agree with you about preferring the unfiltered view but I’m missing a lot in the glare i think. I’m about to pull the trigger on a set of polarisers if i can find them in stock- last night the clouds were acting like a variable nd filter which was interesting though they also blurred things so not so useful! 

Mark

[globular]

1 hour ago, markse68 said:

Did you notice Olympus Mons? I made an effort to spot it but not even a hint of it.

I didn't spot it no - but, I'm ashamed to say, I don't really know the Mars features so didn't know it was there to be found. I've consciously avoided learning what should be there in case it influences me - I want to sketch what I see not what I think should be there.  I figured I'd gradually learn through my observations.

I would say that, on reflection, I think it was impacting on my perception of that area.  I sketched an egg shaped brighter area but sometimes it looked much flatter and more horizontal - I think sometimes Olympus Mons integrated in that splodge and other times not.  I chose the 'integrated' view for my sketch because it was like that more often. If I'd known it was there I'd have gone with the 'sometimes not' final sketch instead - which would have been more 'correct'; so may be it would be beneficial to learn the features.  <shrug>.

1 hour ago, markse68 said:

last night the clouds were acting like a variable nd filter

I got that effect too - as the clouds rolled in to end my session the brightness dimmed and the darker areas were highlighted more. It was a bit like the effect I got with the Baader ND 0.9 half an hour earlier.

Edited October 16, 2020 by globular

[mikeDnight]

Really excellent sketches packed with detail Glob, and a pleasure to study! 🏆

[lunator]

Very good sketches Glob

Some good detail in them.

I had some excellent views of Mars last night.

I had spent some time on collimation and it paid off.😀

Keep the sketches coming.

Cheers

Ian

[dweller25]

Great sketch @globular, what scope did you use ?

[globular]

1 hour ago, dweller25 said:

what scope did you use ?

Thanks David.  It was an 8" Edge HD SCT F/10.5.