Mars with a Mak

[chiltonstar]

Another Mars with a medium Mak - can't compete with a C14 of Course!Conditions were average/slightly better seeing and average transparency. For comparison, I've pasted the BAA Mars mapper simulation for the same time alongside. The best 10% of frames from 6x5000 frames were stacked and de-rotated in Winjupos.

Better detail on Syrtis Major, and on the Hellas area than I've managed before.

Chris

[Stu]

Excellent image Chris. Interesting that Hellas doesn’t show up as brightly as in the simulation. Visually I’ve seen it, but again, not as obvious as implied on the Mars Mapper.

[chiltonstar]

3 minutes ago, Stu said:

Excellent image Chris. Interesting that Hellas doesn’t show up as brightly as in the simulation. Visually I’ve seen it, but again, not as obvious as implied on the Mars Mapper.

If I remember correctly, the BAA Mars mapper uses images from Damian compiled to make a full sphere. I suppose the relative brightness of Hellas may depend on where Hellas was when it was imaged?

Chris

[Captain Scarlet]

Great image. Incidentally your image corresponds almost exactly with the eyepiece view I had using my new mirror early last week. Far and away the best view I've had of Mars.

M

[chiltonstar]

2 hours ago, Captain Magenta said:

Great image. Incidentally your image corresponds almost exactly with the eyepiece view I had using my new mirror early last week. Far and away the best view I've had of Mars.

M

Thanks. What is the mirror size and spec?

The night before I took the image above, I was looking visually - the view was near-NASA like, with excellent seeing, but unfortunately when I got the EQ mount out, I crashed the scope into the RA motor and had to remount the motor the next day.

Chris

[RT65CB-SWL]

Very nice @chiltonstar

[Captain Scarlet]

1 hour ago, chiltonstar said:

Thanks. What is the mirror size and spec?

The night before I took the image above, I was looking visually - the view was near-NASA like, with excellent seeing, but unfortunately when I got the EQ mount out, I crashed the scope into the RA motor and had to remount the motor the next day.

Chris

I have a Skywatcher blue-tube 12" newt, and I'd ordered myself a new 1/10 wave 300mm f/5.3 primary from Orion Optics to upgrade it. When it finally arrived the previous weekend (scratched actually, but that's a different story) I simply swapped the mirrors over, slightly different f-numbers notwithstanding, to take some photos to establish its exact focal length prior to me ordering a new longer carbon tube for it. Obviously I had to look at Mars too and I'm glad I did! Extraordinary view, NASA-like describes it well, I thought I was looking at a Mars atlas at moments, it was freezing into amazing clarity.

I hope your motor or mount not damaged?

M

[chiltonstar]

6 minutes ago, Captain Magenta said:

I have a Skywatcher blue-tube 12" newt, and I'd ordered myself a new 1/10 wave 300mm f/5.3 primary from Orion Optics to upgrade it. When it finally arrived the previous weekend (scratched actually, but that's a different story) I simply swapped the mirrors over, slightly different f-numbers notwithstanding, to take some photos to establish its exact focal length prior to me ordering a new longer carbon tube for it. Obviously I had to look at Mars too and I'm glad I did! Extraordinary view, NASA-like describes it well, I thought I was looking at a Mars atlas at moments, it was freezing into amazing clarity.

I hope your motor or mount not damaged?

M

No, happens if I swing the mount to the SW and forget to do the "flip". I purposely mounted the motor so it would come off if bashed.

The scope sounds fantastic. I sometimes entertain the idea of bigger scope but old age kicks in, and I reflect on what it would do to my back.

Chris

[Pete Presland]

Great to see the Mak 180 "planet killer" deliver the goods again, some excellent detail visible there.