Here is the Mars opposition viewing report from Wenatchee, WA. Courtesy of our local newspaper, The Wenatchee World:
Fire ruins astronomers' plans to view Mars from mountain
By Ailey Kato, World staff writer
WENATCHEE - A once in 59,619-year chance to see Mars move closest to the Earth was ruined by a 150-to-200-acre fire on Badger Mountain for two local amateur astronomers.
Jack Day and Rich Tucker made plans to travel to the top of the mountain at 1:30 a.m. today to get a better view of Mars than they could in the valley.
But the fire, which started at 9:15 p.m. made them change their plans to visit their favorite close-in stargazing spot. Instead, the two set up their telescopes in Day's front yard, 914 College St., to gaze at Mars when it was the closest to the Earth at 2:51 a.m.
"Well, rats," said Day, who has taught astronomy classes at Wenatchee Valley College for two quarters. "That fire really holds things up."
"We kind of got smoked out," said Tucker, who's a doctor during the day at Wenatchee Valley Clinic.
Day said the view on Badger Mountain, minus the fire, would have been better because there would be less atmosphere to distort the view as well as less light.
The two can now say that they saw Mars when it was closest to the earth, but about their look at Mars, Day said, "It sucked."
"The view could have been better," Tucker said.
Day said pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope will be a much better way to see Mars.
"We can say this is what we saw, just a little smaller and fuzzier," Day said.
Well there you have it. Tonight it is off to Table Mountian for a much better look!
Clear Skies,
Jack Day
Fire ruins astronomers' plans to view Mars from mountain
By Ailey Kato, World staff writer
WENATCHEE - A once in 59,619-year chance to see Mars move closest to the Earth was ruined by a 150-to-200-acre fire on Badger Mountain for two local amateur astronomers.
Jack Day and Rich Tucker made plans to travel to the top of the mountain at 1:30 a.m. today to get a better view of Mars than they could in the valley.
But the fire, which started at 9:15 p.m. made them change their plans to visit their favorite close-in stargazing spot. Instead, the two set up their telescopes in Day's front yard, 914 College St., to gaze at Mars when it was the closest to the Earth at 2:51 a.m.
"Well, rats," said Day, who has taught astronomy classes at Wenatchee Valley College for two quarters. "That fire really holds things up."
"We kind of got smoked out," said Tucker, who's a doctor during the day at Wenatchee Valley Clinic.
Day said the view on Badger Mountain, minus the fire, would have been better because there would be less atmosphere to distort the view as well as less light.
The two can now say that they saw Mars when it was closest to the earth, but about their look at Mars, Day said, "It sucked."
"The view could have been better," Tucker said.
Day said pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope will be a much better way to see Mars.
"We can say this is what we saw, just a little smaller and fuzzier," Day said.
Well there you have it. Tonight it is off to Table Mountian for a much better look!
Clear Skies,
Jack Day
