A Mars a day... (Jan 5th)

[Starman]

Strange seeing on the night/morning of Jan 4/5 2010. The cold lent a certain stillness to the air and the stars, including Sirius, were hardly twinkling at all. Mars looked promising through the scope but then, almost as if there was someone there in front of it, the planet exhibited a quite violent translational shift and blurring before returning to its more steady state. This kept up at frequent intervals during my captures but Registax seems to be able to cope with these conditions quite well. I took a load of lunar shots and they seem to be coming out with very fine detail - much better than I had expected they would.

Here's my first capture of Mars from the early hours of the 5th.

[arad85]

Not sure whether to even bother with Mars now Pete... Your images just get better and better

[skye at night]

Hello Pete,

Interesting atmospherics you report..

do you think it could have been due to the path of the coronal mass ejection reported around the end of 2009???

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

Perhaps you think it was due to 'seeing' conditions closer to home?

Steve

[Starman]

Most large-scale seeing effects occur within the first 30m of atmosphere above you, the Jet Stream adding the rest of the jitters for those unfortunate enough to be underneath it. It's possible the result of someone leaving their C/H on and Mars being in the 'plume'. However, the 'plume' would have had to extend across the the Moon as well last night and that's quite a way to be honest.

[brianb]

It's possible the result of someone leaving their C/H on and Mars being in the 'plume'. However, the 'plume' would have had to extend across the the Moon as well last night and that's quite a way to be honest.

That's my bet, I am half surrounded by houses & frequently have troubles just as you describe. The seeing sometimes improves markedly when there is a very slight wind, especially from the W or SW for me as this is blowing heat plumes from the houses away from my line of sight for moon & planets. Selsey should have a big advantage in that you're looking out over the sea, which should be a nice uniform temperature.

Nice images, BTW, but that's what we've come to expect...

[dweller25]

I watched the Chinese lanterns flying by on new years eve and was amazed at how fast they moved relative to the clouds high above. I guess if we could observe from 1000 ft up conditions would be better ??

Another very nice image by the way !!!

[Starman]

Except that I don't look out over the sea, I have houses between me and it. I do have sweet spots in the sky though and a gentle breeze from the west or south-west does it for me too. Last night the air was very still and I think I might have been heat plumed. Very inconsiderate of the neighbours, I think I'll go and have a word

[Tim]

stunning Pete, love these shots.

[skye at night]

That's my bet, I am half surrounded by houses & frequently have troubles just as you describe. The seeing sometimes improves markedly when there is a very slight wind, especially from the W or SW for me as this is blowing heat plumes from the houses away from my line of sight for moon & planets. Selsey should have a big advantage in that you're looking out over the sea, which should be a nice uniform temperature.

Nice images, BTW, but that's what we've come to expect...

I forget that I am spoiled with a lack of such 'additions' so never figure them in!

Nearest house to North is 7 miles and maybe more to the South.

after that the North Atlantic... so no heat plumes at least..

The nocturnal wildlife can be a bit 'unnerving' though with deer and other things creeping around.

Steve

[Starman]

The nocturnal wildlife can be a bit 'unnerving' though with deer and other things creeping around.

Steve

Foxes and domestic cats permeate Selsey as well as yappy dogs.

[neil phillips]

Great image there Pete. Its funny because i was thinking exactly what you just said, i also imaged on the 5th and starlight seemed pretty calm. yet the images flickered in and out of focus almost constantly, and with a pulling effect noticable more on one side than the other. which as you know can often be a sign of poor cooldown yet the scope was out for at least 5 hours, 3 in my shed and two under the stars. however the least disturbed of the images did appear to be when i started imaging early before Mars got right over my neighbours roof. Then i think it kicked in, strangely seemed worse at lower power than very high power, which i really dont understand at all. Maybe the effect is spread out more at high power but im not really sure ?

So the plume idea seems pretty much spot on. would have thought the effect could be seen on starlight visually. but clearly not, as stars looked calm ?

Just as the syrtis major was coming into full view fumbling in the dark with my fire wire lead, caused the damm thing to break, spent the next 40 mins trying to figure out why IC capture kept saying no device found. so out of action untill i get a new lead ( boy i hope it is that ) i may be blessed because due south for me is between houses at my new location. so plumes might be reduced most when it matters at 60 degrees. though its not far away from the side of my house roof, but the side, and directly over the top are two different things needs further testing on that one.

Considering your plume problem lovely detail showing here, but i got a sneaking feeling, way better is coming from you in the next 3 weeks. Hope i get as lucky, Heres hoping. Should be getting my old Europa back soon hopefully Pete ( buying it back full price ) so might see results with that at oppossition. I think the optics set in that were better than my current 12 " 1/12th pv set despite what the zygo says. Luck of the draw from that one. But you know what they say about keepers. and that was one.

[Clayton]

Absolutely fantastic images! Shots to be proud of.

[Starman]

Thanks again for the comments.

Neil, I think the problem on the morning of the 5th may be related to the fact that there was no wind, or that was the case for me anyway. Any heat escape from neighbouring houses would have simply wobbled its way upwards. Describing the effect like that of a scope which hasn't cooled down is spot on - I can remember thinking that at the scope.

[adt175]

Very nice indeed!