First Look at Mars

I got my first opportunity at Mars Saturday morning. Since I have had my telescope a couple years ago I've not had good view of Mars. I was going to be happy if I could just see some indication of the polar cap.

Wow was I impressed. The whole souther cap looked like Anartica, lit up and blazing in the sunlight. Dark areas too, but that poplar cap was a thrill to see. It greatly exceeded my expectations. Now I can settle down to looking for details but I will never forget that first look at alien ice!

Daryl

I know exactly what you mean. That first view of something as familiar and visibly identifiable as ice, on a body so alien and foreign, something feels incredibly weird about it and makes it so much more familiar somehow in a very alien sort of way. You remember it like your first sight of Saturn's rings or first view of Jupiter's belts.

My first view of martian ice was 1984. After a hiatus from planetary astronomy through most of the 90's, I am seriously getting into Mars observing for the first time since the opposition of 1988. Good to see Mars again.