Mars - Get out there and see it!!!

[Jupiter Martin]

very nice as well

I ventured back outside at about 10.30pm last night (the snow had cleared by then!) Spent about an hour observing Mars with my 6" SCT. Terrific view with 7mm orthoscopic EP (giving 214x magnification).

I made a sketch at the eyepiece, which I've just been tarting up a bit in Paintshop to give a better impression of what it looked like through the eyepiece. Hope you like it! Mare Acidalium really prominent in the north next to the polar icecap. Managed to get a good impression of the colour too, I think.

Ian

[ian_d]

very nice as well

Thanks Martin - not a patch on yours though!

[AndyH]

Looks like another clear night in prospect.

Will wonders never cease ?!?!?

Andy.

[johnkirkpatrick]

looks good ere in Scotland, great view of Orion. Just cooling my scope so gona have quick game of Borderlands.

[Jim!]

I saw much the same thing through 8" SCT and 7mm ortho.

Beautiful sight and a memorable sketch.

I ventured back outside at about 10.30pm last night (the snow had cleared by then!) Spent about an hour observing Mars with my 6" SCT. Terrific view with 7mm orthoscopic EP (giving 214x magnification).

I made a sketch at the eyepiece, which I've just been tarting up a bit in Paintshop to give a better impression of what it looked like through the eyepiece. Hope you like it! Mare Acidalium really prominent in the north next to the polar icecap. Managed to get a good impression of the colour too, I think.

Ian

[James]

I've been out tonight enjoying the best views of Mars I've ever had I'm glad really as last night started clear and ended cloudy so I was quite disappointed!

James

[Rob]

Back out again last night... even colder!. managed 1 hour 30 mins at the eyepiece before my fingers gave in from 10pm. Mars was stunning.. just as good as the night before with lots of details. If only the full moon was not there, the contrast would have picked up a bit.

Rob

[lunator]

Last night the seeing was pretty good in London - a true rarity

I was observing Mars mostly at x375 and as it crossed the meridian I got up to x450

I was amazed the image held up.

Last night was one of those nights that make it all worthwhile

Cheers

Ian

[part timer]

I was out with the TAL 2 M both last night and the previous one from about 9.30 to 1130 both nights.

Easily the best views of Mars I've had in the last 10 years!

All my sketches look like the images people are posting which is really unusual as usually it's hard to correlate my dark smudges to actual features. At about 11 last night it seemed that there was a lighter patch emerging as the planet rotated. I followed this until all my high power eyepieces had formed frost on the lenses at which point I thought I'd better pack up!

Used mostly the Meade 140 Barlow and Televue 10.5mm Plossl to give 228x. Also used 9 and 8mm TS planetary's when seeing was even better for short spells, these gave 266x and 300x respectively. Used yellow, blue and green filters (tried red but didn't gain anything) and as usual I found my Baader UHC helps to bring out the features well although of course it does strange things to the colours.

[russ]

Also had a second night out last night. Started at 23.15 and finished at 02.00 OMG it was freezing.

Best ever view of Mars in almost 30 years of viewing. Truly awesome! As with others i was operating well above 300x, pushing almost 450x on occasion. Used yellow, orange and blue filters for a different take on the view. There was some very intricate detail to be seen once above 250x, even better at 336x.

Finished off with Saturn which was also jaw dropping.

Russ