Magnificent Mars

Hello everyone,

I have waited for over two years to see what I have just seen. In June of 2018 I bought my first scope - an Orion XT6. At the time the infamous Mars dust storm was just kicking off, so Mars was off the counter. During 2019 I didn't get to observe any notable features on the Red Planet, but boy oh boy could I see detail tonight. I have just returned from my back garden. I went out to bring in my scope (f/5 250mm Newtonian reflector) after sketching the Moon. I could see Mars shining in all its glory high above me. So after seeing what Michael produced from Friday night's observing session, I just had to give it another go. 

At 139X I believe could see Syrtis Major, Sinus Miridiani, Sinus Sabeaus, and the South Solar Cap (SPC). The SPC was positioned a 1 O'Clock in my eyepiece. It was so bright, and formed a perfectly shaped white spot. I pushed to 208X, and the details improved again! Now I could see Mare Tyrrhenum and Mare Cimmerium. Taken together, I thought the dark shading looked like a bow-tie, but then as I pushed to 278X, and 417X I thought the shaded area looked more like a monkey calmly walking across the disk. 417X was just a bit too much as I lost some detail, but 278X was the sweet spot. Mars displayed a rich peachy colour. 

Of course as this is my first time to really see detail on the Planet I could have been mistaken by just how much I have seen. As a reference I have used Map of Mars, but please correct if you believe I have got some of this wrong.

Kindest regards, and clear skies,

Darren,

Wow, Darren!
What a sensational report here on Mars.
And what high magnifications you used.
I also like your description of its peachy colour.
It's just as well Mars is in Aries.
That's why it is so high in altitude for northern hemisphere observers.
Thank you for listing off so many Martian features too.
I greatly admire your bow-tie description.
I also will be observing Mars very soon as it approaches opposition on Tuesday 13th October and into the upcoming months.

Clear skies from Aubrey.

Thank you very much for your positive feedback Aubrey. All day long was buzzing thinking back to my view of Mars earlier this morning. It being high in the sky made all the difference because, Saturn and Jupiter lacked the level of detail that Mars displayed.

I am certainly looking forward to hearing how you get with 'God of War' of the coming weeks.

All the best,

Darren.