Detail On Mars

This might have already been asked so apologies if so.


Am I right in thinking that if you're really lucky you might just make out a polar cap and some dark shading on Mars (no actual detail say compared to Jupiter or Saturn).

I've been looking at it through an 80mm and it just looks like a red disc with a glow but no order detail. Also, would you get much more detail if you were to photograph it through a scope (canon 350d)


Happy Christmas to everyone

Joanna,

Your really not going to see detail with an 80mm scope unless it has a very long focal length. Photographing with a 350 wont help since you will just be getting one single frame,. The best thing is to capture a movie with a webcam and process it in registax.

Mars is a tough cookie !
Many times you'd be lucky to see the polar cap on the planet, I had a look at it last night and the seeing was very poor (not helped by a warm primary mirror), I could see the polar cap and some other detail like syrtis major and a few other bits n' pieces, but not alot more then what a much smaller scope would show, the seeing is everything !
Using a 350d with any scope on the planets is a complete waste of time, you must use a webcam or something similar to get anything.

If the seeing is poor, no scope will do too well.
However, realistically, you'll need something a little bigger thn 80mm to get reasonable detail on Mars.
I use my TEC140 and when the seeing is good, I bump the magnification to around 300x with the binoviewers. A few weeks ago, I could clearly see the blue haze over the polar cap and clearly see the shapes of the darker areas on the disc.
Last night, the seeing was terrible and so I couldn't see near as much detail. Could still see the shape of the main dark region plus a hint of the polar region.

The only planet you'll ever get 'detail' on with a
single shot from a Canon 350D is Jupiter
(and that in my case was with an ETX-125)

farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/2127057284_53733edb61_o.jpg

As for seeing detail on Mars, it's very hard visually unless you have a decent
size scope.
Too small and you've no hope, Too large and the image is affected by the seeing.
Something around 8 -10 '' with a high mag and good seeing will how you detail.
And the amount will depend on all of the above along with your observing style.

If you do use a webcam, its great for reducing some of the glare and
then if you adjust the settings on the capture software you will see detail.

again depending on the above,

The only planet you'll ever get 'detail' on with a
single shot from a Canon 350D is Jupiter

And Venus. Due to its brightness when close to a fuller phase, the shape is obvious, and with filters/processing, clouds have been shown.