Mars 8/4/03 - First attempt

All the great sketches and pics here have inspired me to try my hand so here goes...

This is a sketch from last night, around midnight local time. It's my first Mars attempt and my second planetary sketch over all. I'll post my first attempt (Jupiter, ten years ago) as a reply to this post.

Thanks, Ed

Attached Image:

Attached Image:

Ed, this looks very similar to a sketch I made one night last week through a 4" unobstructed reflector. Very nice to see my observation confirmed. DR

Say, that was a very good first attempt, Ed!

Ron B[ee]

Ed,

A very nice first drawing of Mars. This is not an easy planet to draw as the albedo features are usually not of high contrast. This super-perihelic apparition allows the albedo features to be seen like no other recent time (of course barring a dust storm). Russell provides some very good pointers in observing Mars. Filters and/or an apodizing screen will attenuate the brightness of Mars which may irradiate the eye and produce a loss of contrast, as Russell also points out. The only way to improve your eye is to practice. We all look forward to your future observations of Mars. The Jupiter observation (S-L 9) is a good one as well.

Carlos