Mars 15/16 Oct’ 2020

[markse68]

Forecast was clouds for days but there were reasonable gaps and I needed a fix so I braved it- not a total waste of time though a fair amount spent waiting... Seeing wasn’t as good as i’d hoped given jetstream forecast missing UK completely- I guess cloud cover comes with its own turbulence. There were brief moments of excellent clarity though.

This seems to be called Terra Serenum- the curvy bit seen closer to the limb last time. A brighter patch above it (Eridania?)  I saw last time I think as well. Not much else to see really but a nice curvy feature to draw. I couldn’t spot Olympus Mons unfortunately 

Mark

[globular]

Lovely sketch Mark.  Very much like what I saw too.

[markse68]

Thanks Globular  Yes I think we were looking at the same view! I got some Mars coloured pencils (well marsish  ) but I need to practice more lol

[lunator]

Hi mark

Very good sketch

The seeing was a bit variable last night but there were periods where it was excellent. 

What amazed me last night was when the seeing improved the edges of the features were very obvious.

Cheers

Ian

[markse68]

Thanks Ian!

16 minutes ago, lunator said:

The seeing was a bit variable last night but there were periods where it was excellent. 

yes that was my experience too and it suddenly got very mushy around 2am when it usually gets better- maybe jetstream drifted across. But i was too tired by then anyway.

 

19 minutes ago, lunator said:

What amazed me last night was when the seeing improved the edges of the features were very obvious.

Yes- very clearly defined but what i don’t really understand is that they appear almost more defined than in photographic images! Yet without the dynamic range- I guess we need the brightness to see at all but it saturates our vision so we have quite a low dynamic range. Or something.

Mark

[mikeDnight]

Lovely sketches Mark. Loads of subtle detail too! 

[markse68]

32 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Lovely sketches Mark. Loads of subtle detail too! 

Thanks Mike! I’m really enjoying sketching Mars- it’s brought a new dimension to the hobby and i’m itching to get out again for some more  

Mark

[dweller25]

23 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Thanks Mike! I’m really enjoying sketching Mars- it’s brought a new dimension to the hobby and i’m itching to get out again for some more  

Mark

I used to image the Planets but felt a bit disconnected, so I started to draw and find it much more fun.

Edited October 17, 2020 by dweller25

[mikeDnight]

2 hours ago, markse68 said:

Thanks Mike! I’m really enjoying sketching Mars- it’s brought a new dimension to the hobby and i’m itching to get out again for some more  

Mark

Enjoyment is what its really about Mark, and if sketching encourages you to observe more, perhaps giving a sense of purpose to your observing, then it can only be a good thing, and you'll see more than if you just look! And you'll also have a permanent record to look back on, that's easier to read than pages of notes.☺

2 hours ago, dweller25 said:

I used to image the Planets but felt a bit disconnected, so I started to draw and find it much more fun.

Disconnected is an interesting phrase David. I wonder if that's because you're more concerned about the technical aspects of the imaging process rather than relaxing at the eyepiece?  I can only speak from a personal point of view as I've never really imaged anything, but when I'm sketching, I become absorbed in the observation, the equipment disappears and i feel almost as if I'm observing a living thing. So for a short time I'm in a world of my own. I didn't realise how much I get absorbed, until a couple of nights ago when a firework exploded near by, causing me to return to reality with a real start. 🎆

Edited October 17, 2020 by mikeDnight