Mars watch

Is Mars experiencing a storm now or are my optics low grade? On my 8" newt
I could make out a north polar cap but no other detail. I like to describe
the color as 'fudgicle orange', or what a regurgitated orange fudgicle might
look like. I did put on a moon filter - a dark gray green - and thought I
could make out some darker northern colors but not good enough to discern or
draw shapes.

It rises about 10pm now? First time viewer - minorly neat.

Your seeing the south polar cap, remember your dob inverts the image and it's
just warming up there, by mid aug. it should be real good, that is as best as
can be done with the small am. scopes.


--
"In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go
again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

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"Mike" wrote in message
...
Is Mars experiencing a storm now or are my optics low grade? On my 8" newt
I could make out a north polar cap but no other detail. I like to describe
the color as 'fudgicle orange', or what a regurgitated orange fudgicle might
look like. I did put on a moon filter - a dark gray green - and thought I
could make out some darker northern colors but not good enough to discern or
draw shapes.

It rises about 10pm now? First time viewer - minorly neat.

HI there. Try using a red filter (Wratten 25) and the dark markings
will be easier to see. The dark markings have very low contrast and
require high power and a lot of study to see clearly. Seeing is also a
factor, as if it is disturbed, the fine detail will tend to vanish, so
there may be times when you may see little or nothing other than the
polar cap. View Mars when it is at its highest above the horizon and
make certain that your telescope has been cooled down to the air
temperature (have it outside for at least an hour before you start
viewing). Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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"David Knisely" wrote in message
...
HI there. Try using a red filter (Wratten 25) and the dark markings
will be easier to see. The dark markings have very low contrast and
require high power and a lot of study to see clearly. Seeing is also a
factor, as if it is disturbed, the fine detail will tend to vanish, so
there may be times when you may see little or nothing other than the
polar cap. View Mars when it is at its highest above the horizon and
make certain that your telescope has been cooled down to the air
temperature (have it outside for at least an hour before you start
viewing). Clear skies to you.
--

Here in Florida, this time of year it seems that I have to take the scope
out to warm it up. I went from the AC to the humid night last week when we
had a grazing occultation of Mars by the Moon. After about 45 minutes of
good viewing, everything started getting fogged up. I finally had to give up
and go back to bed.

Harvey

* How do you know when the seasons are on Mars? From simple regular
observing? Does the the tilt change every 6 or 7 months? The ice cap was
definitely pointing our way, I will say. To this end I tried to download
the Mars Previewer II software (Free, windows only) but haven't quite
figured it out yet. I downloaded it, then unzip it and then my computer
crashed. I have a new mp2 file on my deskstop so I think I just have to exe
it which is a choice on the draw down menu.

* Fact - Mars is going to be the closest its been in 60k years - 34m miles.
But, will it get closer ever? Or are projections that distant worthless?


* I am confused. I recently read that humidity is good for seeing.
Creates a mass of stable air right above your scope.