Mars Observing Report 10/09/03
Equipment: Heep ('umble 4.5" DS Newtonian on EQ mount, 900mm, f/8)
Eyepieces: 20mm, 10mm, 6.7mm Meade Plossls
Location: Newmarket, Ont. 44 degrees N, 79 degrees W
The conditions were ideal for viewing Mars last night. A skiff of thin, high cloud covered the sky, which improves the iamge of Mars. Albedo features are much clearer when Mars is filtered by a bit of cloud. It lessens the glare of the planet, so detail is not washed out. Several features were visible in Heep, such as Sinus Sabaeus, Sinus Meridiani, Syrtis Major, and Hellas. But the image began to break down and turn to mush by around 0230 UT (10:30 PM local).
I find it interesting that the same phenomenon took place on Tuesday evening, Oct. 7. The image of Mars was clear and steady until about 0230 UT, then turned into a blurry soup. Is this just a coincidence? Or as the object travels west, is it passing through an unstable air mass or jet stream or something? Because it happened at exactly the same time and exactly the same spot.
Sigh. After three solid weeks of rain and cloud, we finally get beautiful weather and pristine skies in southern Ontario... just in time for a full moon bright enough to read by.
This Sunday, I'm bringing my telescope up to my parents' for Thanksgiving, to give the family a peek at some sights... Guess what the forecast is? Just guess! Oh well. Que sera, sera.
Clear nights ... dark sites,
Darren
Equipment: Heep ('umble 4.5" DS Newtonian on EQ mount, 900mm, f/8)
Eyepieces: 20mm, 10mm, 6.7mm Meade Plossls
Location: Newmarket, Ont. 44 degrees N, 79 degrees W
The conditions were ideal for viewing Mars last night. A skiff of thin, high cloud covered the sky, which improves the iamge of Mars. Albedo features are much clearer when Mars is filtered by a bit of cloud. It lessens the glare of the planet, so detail is not washed out. Several features were visible in Heep, such as Sinus Sabaeus, Sinus Meridiani, Syrtis Major, and Hellas. But the image began to break down and turn to mush by around 0230 UT (10:30 PM local).
I find it interesting that the same phenomenon took place on Tuesday evening, Oct. 7. The image of Mars was clear and steady until about 0230 UT, then turned into a blurry soup. Is this just a coincidence? Or as the object travels west, is it passing through an unstable air mass or jet stream or something? Because it happened at exactly the same time and exactly the same spot.
Sigh. After three solid weeks of rain and cloud, we finally get beautiful weather and pristine skies in southern Ontario... just in time for a full moon bright enough to read by.
This Sunday, I'm bringing my telescope up to my parents' for Thanksgiving, to give the family a peek at some sights... Guess what the forecast is? Just guess! Oh well. Que sera, sera.
Clear nights ... dark sites,
Darren
