Mars

I literally set it up on the side walk out side the house and started observing. In no time at all I had a crowd of interested (as in some cases drunk!) people around me.

Myself and Jim set up on the `side walk` outside Djouce Car Park in the wicklow mountains. A couple of cars stopped by, one was the Gardai who send their regards to the regulars up there!

I dint think the air was steady enough to see much last night, I've seen clearer from my back garden the last couple of weeks. But I was there long enough to be able to see Mars rotating, and got my first glimpse of Uranus and Neptune!

Cheers,
~Al

I noticed in particular last night how small the southern polar cap has got. Next to nothing now! Amazing! Never thought I would see such a change on the planet in just a few weeks.
Michael

you said it, its gotten real small,
I wonder how big it will be at Birr ???

Anyway, I was out observing last week and Syrtis Major is now visible, its amazing how much detail there is in that area, much better then a month ago.
Hellas is visible as well as other bright/dark markings.
I got a particularly clear night on the 29th of august, best view I ever got of it, in moments of clarity, it looked like a photograph, real amazing.

BTW, I saw 2 mag -3 meteors that night (at 23.11 and 23.25), both appeared to be perseids, one in aquila and the other in northwestern ursa major, there seems to be post aug 12 activity here given what else was seen reciently ???.

As I'm sure you've all noticed Mars has got very small and reluctant to show detail in comparison to a couple of months ago. Here's a shot showing just how much it has shrunk.



As a result I find myself not bothing to look at it that much anymore. Saturn, on the other hand is coming around nicely. Can't wait for it to cross the meridan at a reasonable hour.
Michael