A diminishing Mars - 20 Feb 2023

[geoflewis]

I've continued to check in on Mars, which is now getting quite small. At just 8.8" it is now only slightly more than half the apparent diamter that it was some two and a half months ago at opposition, but some of the larger details are still coming through.

 

[Space Cowboy]

Good work Geof eeking out detail at this late stage.

[Kon]

Good going there. I thought you had stopped for the season. Some details are still coming through.

[geoflewis]

12 minutes ago, Kon said:

Good going there. I thought you had stopped for the season. Some details are still coming through.

Thanks Kostas, I kept going, but it became increasingly difficult in what was often either poor seeing, windy conditions or both. I actually got one more, possibly slightly better Mars a few days later on 23 February, which was the final image in the montage posted separately. Here is the image for anyone interested...

 

[astroavani]

For the reported conditions I found the image good, here I haven't tried Mars in a while, it is too low for my latitude, it doesn't rise more than 30º currently and precisely my north is the worst place to photograph.

[geoflewis]

21 minutes ago, astroavani said:

For the reported conditions I found the image good, here I haven't tried Mars in a while, it is too low for my latitude, it doesn't rise more than 30º currently and precisely my north is the worst place to photograph.

Thanks Avani. For us in the northern hemisphere Mars is either small when high altitude like this apparition, or low down when at it's largest as in 2018. In 2020 it was a bit of both with Mars reacing 40° elevation from the UK. For you in the southern hemisphere it is the opposite, Mars is at it's largest when also at it's highest elevation.