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Mars closest right now Monday!
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10 years 8 months ago #100470
by flt158
Mars closest right now Monday! was created by flt158
Hi everybody. I am setting up the 6.2" apo tonight to get up close to Mars. It is actually closest to Earth tonight -less than 58, 000,000 miles from us in the constellation of Virgo. The Full Moon is 5 degrees south of it. Of course, I shall be pushing the magnification to get the biggest comfortable view.
I trust others will give a go too. It's time to get our scopes out. The skies should be clear. I hope many telescope users get good observations. Let us report back tomorrow as to what we all saw on the Red Planet.
By the way, Valerie and I are celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary -another good reason to do some observing.
Aubrey.
I trust others will give a go too. It's time to get our scopes out. The skies should be clear. I hope many telescope users get good observations. Let us report back tomorrow as to what we all saw on the Red Planet.
By the way, Valerie and I are celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary -another good reason to do some observing.
Aubrey.
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10 years 8 months ago #100474
by mykc
Skywatcher 120 mm ED on a CG5 mount.
Orion UK 300mm Dobsonian
Replied by mykc on topic Mars closest right now Monday!
Congratulations Aubrey & Valerie. Enjoy the observing.
Mike
Mike
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Orion UK 300mm Dobsonian
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10 years 8 months ago #100476
by mykc
Skywatcher 120 mm ED on a CG5 mount.
Orion UK 300mm Dobsonian
Replied by mykc on topic Mars closest right now Monday!
Reasonably clear here, with some passing high cloud, but atrocious seeing. Mars is a blurry mess and the cloud belts of Jupiter are barely visible! Hope it's better elsewhere.
Skywatcher 120 mm ED on a CG5 mount.
Orion UK 300mm Dobsonian
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10 years 8 months ago #100477
by flt158
Replied by flt158 on topic Mars closest right now Monday!
Thank you, Mike. It is good to hear from you -it has been a while.
Here is my report for Monday night 14th April out in the back garden from 9pm till midnight, folks. The sky was sure enough very clear.
1. We had to start with Jupiter. We used magnifications 40X, 112X, 140X and 167X. All 4 moons were very close to the planet. Callisto was furthest out west of Jupiter -not to far though. Io and Ganymede were very close together also west of Jupiter -Io north of Ganymede. Europa was east of Jupiter and was closing in on the planet. It transited at 21.30 and we could still observe it at 21.45. Just after midnight, we could see a very small black spot on Jupiter -it was Europa's shadow -tiny even at 167X! We could also see SEB, NEB, the North Temperate Belt and the South Temperate Belt. We were very satisfied with our observations of Jupiter.
2. Regulus: 7.9 magnitude companion visible at 11X and 40X. Separation: 2 minutes
3. Algieba: magnitudes 2.1 and 3.4 just about split at 40X; 4.6" separation; cleanly split at 112X. Both gorgeous yellow and an old favourite of mine.
4. M44 Beehive cluster -better at 11X on the guidescope than 40X in the main scope because it is more compact at lower magnifications.
5. Stf 1179: double star in Cancer, magnitudes 9.5 and 10.2 easily split at 40X. Separation: 21"
6. Stf 1283: double star in Cancer, magnitudes 7.7 and 8.5 barely split at 11X. Cleanly at 40X. Separation: 16".
7. Tegmine (Zeta Cancri); do you remember this testing fellow? A double at 40X, 112X and 167X. But it becomes a brilliant triple at 225X and especially at 280X -no need to go higher. Magnitudes are 5.3, 6.2 and 6.3.
8. Porrima (Gamma Virginis): lovely double north of Mars. In fact, Mars passes south of it in early May. Both components are 3.5, separation is now 2.1". Split at 140X and 167X.
9. Izar (Epsilon Bootis). Very testing double split at 167X. Magnitudes are the problem: 2.6 and 4.8.
10. A new triple for me south of Mars: Theta Virginis all 3 stars seen at 112X and 140X. Magnitudes 4.5, 9.4 and 10. Very pleasing sight before I head for Mars.
11. And so finally to Mars at 23.30 to midnight. At 112X, we could see the North Polar cap. At 140X, faint and large Mare Acidalium was sighted north of the equator. At 167X, some real action took place: 3 dark areas become apparent: Mare Erythraeum, Sinus Sabeaus and jutting extension, Sinus Meridiani were all very distinct. On the equator, plain beige Chryse where Viking landed in 1977. But we did see a lovely feature which is Aram. It sits between Mare Erythraeum and Sinus Sabeaus. It is narrow but has a bright albedo. I was not expecting to observe it.
I might observe Mars again tomorrow night Wednesday. I was very happy with my scope's performance on Monday night.
Thank you for reading.
Aubrey.
Here is my report for Monday night 14th April out in the back garden from 9pm till midnight, folks. The sky was sure enough very clear.
1. We had to start with Jupiter. We used magnifications 40X, 112X, 140X and 167X. All 4 moons were very close to the planet. Callisto was furthest out west of Jupiter -not to far though. Io and Ganymede were very close together also west of Jupiter -Io north of Ganymede. Europa was east of Jupiter and was closing in on the planet. It transited at 21.30 and we could still observe it at 21.45. Just after midnight, we could see a very small black spot on Jupiter -it was Europa's shadow -tiny even at 167X! We could also see SEB, NEB, the North Temperate Belt and the South Temperate Belt. We were very satisfied with our observations of Jupiter.
2. Regulus: 7.9 magnitude companion visible at 11X and 40X. Separation: 2 minutes
3. Algieba: magnitudes 2.1 and 3.4 just about split at 40X; 4.6" separation; cleanly split at 112X. Both gorgeous yellow and an old favourite of mine.
4. M44 Beehive cluster -better at 11X on the guidescope than 40X in the main scope because it is more compact at lower magnifications.
5. Stf 1179: double star in Cancer, magnitudes 9.5 and 10.2 easily split at 40X. Separation: 21"
6. Stf 1283: double star in Cancer, magnitudes 7.7 and 8.5 barely split at 11X. Cleanly at 40X. Separation: 16".
7. Tegmine (Zeta Cancri); do you remember this testing fellow? A double at 40X, 112X and 167X. But it becomes a brilliant triple at 225X and especially at 280X -no need to go higher. Magnitudes are 5.3, 6.2 and 6.3.
8. Porrima (Gamma Virginis): lovely double north of Mars. In fact, Mars passes south of it in early May. Both components are 3.5, separation is now 2.1". Split at 140X and 167X.
9. Izar (Epsilon Bootis). Very testing double split at 167X. Magnitudes are the problem: 2.6 and 4.8.
10. A new triple for me south of Mars: Theta Virginis all 3 stars seen at 112X and 140X. Magnitudes 4.5, 9.4 and 10. Very pleasing sight before I head for Mars.
11. And so finally to Mars at 23.30 to midnight. At 112X, we could see the North Polar cap. At 140X, faint and large Mare Acidalium was sighted north of the equator. At 167X, some real action took place: 3 dark areas become apparent: Mare Erythraeum, Sinus Sabeaus and jutting extension, Sinus Meridiani were all very distinct. On the equator, plain beige Chryse where Viking landed in 1977. But we did see a lovely feature which is Aram. It sits between Mare Erythraeum and Sinus Sabeaus. It is narrow but has a bright albedo. I was not expecting to observe it.
I might observe Mars again tomorrow night Wednesday. I was very happy with my scope's performance on Monday night.
Thank you for reading.
Aubrey.
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10 years 8 months ago #100478
by flt158
Replied by flt158 on topic Mars closest right now Monday!
Sorry to hear that, Mike. Let us try again tomorrow night. I hope to have another go at Mars.
Syrtis Major is visible the week after next on the central meridian.
Aubrey.
Syrtis Major is visible the week after next on the central meridian.
Aubrey.
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10 years 8 months ago #100479
by mykc
Skywatcher 120 mm ED on a CG5 mount.
Orion UK 300mm Dobsonian
Replied by mykc on topic Mars closest right now Monday!
Nice report, thanks Aubrey, the view you got of Mars sounds fantastic. I'll return to tegmine, but it would be pointless tonight. I'll leave the scope set up for a little while longer in the hope of an improvement, but, regardless of what happens, the forecast is reasonable, so there will be other opportunities over the next few days.
Mike
Mike
Skywatcher 120 mm ED on a CG5 mount.
Orion UK 300mm Dobsonian
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