Mars - 21st Apr 2010

[dweller25]

A very strange night....

Started observing Mars in a bright sky at 19:30UT, very good seeing and very steady even at x300. Did the drawing over the next twenty minutes and very rapidly after that the seeing deteriorated to dreadful !!

Still managed to see the North polar cap which is very dull, Hellas above Syrtis Major was brighter than the NPC, as was Libya. Sinus Sibaeus was visible as a long dark elongation. No real detail at all just the major features. Mars is rotating to the quiet side now so I really do think that's it for Mars ........ maybe

The small image in the drawing is roughly the size Mars actually appeared.

8" F/6 Newtonian, x300

21st Apr 2010, 19:40UT

Seeing AII, deteriorating to AIII.

CM=309'

[DarkerSky]

Brilliant sketch and well done for getting out early. I really like the small image of Mars. Gives an excellent impression of what you are dealing with at the eyepiece.

I was out at 20.30UT - a victim of the atrocious seeing!! The worst seeing I've experienced for several months. Spent a frustrating hour and a bit at the EP, and came away with only hints of detail. The image was all over the shop. Too poor to sketch.

[dweller25]

Thanks DS.

I see you have a new addition :-)

[jgs001]

Great work Dweller... excellent sketching