RE: (SNES) mars

[edward magowan <edward_magowan@yahoo.com>]

My first peek for this year was with a 12" LX200 at
French Camp, MS during the Mid-South Stargaze in
April.  Although Mars was tiny and low, the polar cap
was prominent.  I've been hoping for some decent views
from Pensacola.  All this week I've been prepared to
hump everything over to the beach to try some video. 
Hah!  Heavy rains, followed by tropical storm,
followed by more heavy rains.  I'm hoping we have at
least a few weeks before the dust storms kick in to
high gear, with Mars' southern spring in full swing I
don't think we'll escape them.  Too bad about FDO
being closed for July; my son is in Westerly with my
parents for the month, he was hoping to get over there
on a clear Friday.  He came to the Mid-South with me,
we used French Camp's Goto LX200, saw his first
Messier followed by 25 more as the night progressed. 
We were also treated to some spectacular views through
the 32" Dob, he understands now how hard the astronomy
bug can bite! 
=========

Hi Folks,

I got my first look at Mars this apparition through a
scope on Monday
morning, June 30th.  I used my trusty 4" f/12
newtonian equatorial with 
a UO
Zoom eyepiece at 145X and #15 yellow and 80A blue
filters. I observed 
Mars
from 03:00 to 03:45 DST--weather clear; seeing not bad
at 6-7.

At around 17" dia., Mars was not overly large in the
eyepiece, but did 
show
significant detail. The south polar cap was very
obvious, but not as 
bright
as I've seen it before. The Hellas Basin was quite
bland, indeed 
difficult
to detect. I hope not due to DUST!! The 90% or so
gibbous phase was 
easy to
detect and helped orient surface features. A prominent
discrete cloud 
was
seen in Elysium-- this area is noted for discrete
clouds, alas 
sometimes the
starting area of dust storms.

Several other surface features were easily manifested.
All across the 
disk
from Mare Cimmerium near the gibbous terminator to
Syrtis Major on the
morning limb, I could make out surface markings when
numerous and 
frequent
periods of good seeing "snapped" Mars into sharp
focus. Not since 1956
before a global dust storm ruined the view have I seen
so much detail 
on
Mars in my 4"!  Syrtis Major was a vivid dark blue
seen with the yellow
filter. If it is covered by the nearby "Libya" cloud,
it is supposed to 
be
vivid GREEN in color, especially when viewed near the
Martian limb, but 
it
definitely looked blue to me with the yellow filter.

Ironically, the CM of Mars during my observations was
about the same
(230-240 deg., or so) as when I took pictures of Mars
back in Oct. 
1973,
pictures of which I've sent to many SNES members via
internet. Tonight, 
I
hope to check Mars with my 6" f/8 at 200-300X with
various colored 
filters
to check for the dreaded dust storms.

Keep us posted of YOUR observations of Mars.

 


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