I did a public star party just last night (Sep 3) and another one last Friday
(Aug 29). Most people seemed to be reasonably patient with Mars, but it
required constant explanation as to what to look for. Most of the scope
operators in my area had yielded Mars to me, since my scope (8-inch f/6 Cave
Newt) had the best optics for planetary detail. What was funniest (or saddest)
was when a couple of people asked if they could adjust the focus. Fine with me,
I said, since it was focused for my eye, and the best detail would be visible
only with precise focus. The next viewer after one of these refoucusings asked
if the black spots were on the planet. Black spots? Nobody else said the
surface detail was that easy, so I took a look. Well, the previous viewer had
racked it so far *out* of focus that the "black spots" were dust spots on the
eyepiece.
--
Curtis Croulet
Temecula, California
33° 27'59"N, 117° 05' 53"W