Dismiss Notice
New Cookie Policy
On May 24, 2018, we published revised versions of our Terms and Rules and Cookie Policy. Your use of AstronomyConnect.com’s services is subject to these revised terms.

Mars 2020 or Mars 2018?

Discussion in 'Astrophotography and Imaging' started by Orion25, Oct 9, 2020.

Mars 2020 or Mars 2018?

Started by Orion25 on Oct 9, 2020 at 9:00 PM

8 Replies 1176 Views 3 Likes

Reply to Thread Post New Thread
  1. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Posts:
    1,895
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Georgia
    Here is a composite image of Mars at perigee in 2020 and in 2018. What a difference two years make!

    ASTRONOMY - MARS COMPARISON ZWO 10-05-20 & 5MP 7-27-20 (OPPOSITION).jpg
     
    Mak the Night, Ed D and Scopejunkie like this.
  2. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2017
    Posts:
    852
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Sunny South Florida
    That was a bad planet-wide dust storm on Mars in 2018. The only way I could produce a decent image was by stacking RGB, 685nm and 850nm IR images. Even then, they were not as contrasty and detailed as what you are getting now, Reggie.

    I'm hoping to be able to image Mars in the next few days. Keeping my fingers crossed.

    Ed
     
    Orion25 likes this.
  3. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2016
    Posts:
    4,919
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Yeah, big difference this year. Not as large, but far better this year. Even if I miss the opposition this year due to inclement weather, I'm pretty happy so far. Touch wood for clement weather! lol
     
    Orion25 likes this.
  4. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Posts:
    1,895
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Georgia
    I hope you get some great images, Ed :)
     
  5. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Posts:
    1,895
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Georgia
    We still got the rest of this month before Mars gets significantly smaller and dimmer thank goodness :)
     
    Mak the Night likes this.
  6. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2016
    Posts:
    4,919
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Yeah, you're quite right Reggie, I should think positively lol. Unfortunately October can be a bit wet in England. I went out with the Newtonian earlier, I didn't set up though. I could just see Mars through the cloud, so I went back. The cloud was basically blanketing the entire sky. Tonight's looking better though. If it doesn't rain ...

     
    Orion25 likes this.
  7. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2016
    Posts:
    4,919
    Trophy Points:
    113
    As I write this it is 19 hours to opposition. I got out earlier. I got a couple of hours in between the clouds. Transparency was a tad iffy but the seeing was above average. I only used the 'hardcore' orthoscopics (5, 6, 7mm Ohi) combined with the Vixen Barlow. Spent most of the duration with the 6mm Astro Hutech (300x) and the Contrast Booster stacked with a single polariser. I started with the 7mm KK at 257x and the Baader 570nm Longpass, then the TV Bandmate. I ended with the 5mm KK for 360x although it was a bit too much with the conditions and was slightly sharper at 300x. I could see the Terra Cimmeria & Terra Sirenum regions quite well. The southern pole was tiny but bright. The NPH is still visible. I thought I could see limb clouds in the west and the east but that might have been glare.
     
    Orion25 likes this.
  8. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Posts:
    1,895
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Georgia
    Good going, Mak. It's 7:52 EDT here and I'm setting up for an interesting night. Perfect skies. Here I go!
     
    Mak the Night likes this.
  9. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2016
    Posts:
    4,919
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Good luck Reggie! I was out and set up at 23:30 (British Summer Time) Tuesday, opposition was at 00:18 Wednesday morning. I waited under a blanket of cloud until a few minutes before 01:00 without seeing anything. I packed everything up and was just about to walk back to the house for a hot mug of Ovaltine and a Vegemite sandwich when I saw a fleeting Mars through cloud. So I set up again and eventually got about 50 mins. I spent a long part of that with the StarGuider for 281x. I used the Baader Orange and TV Bandmate filters. It was pretty sharp and clear. Terra Sirenum was easily seen with good definition. I could even see some detail in the Aonia Terra region. The southern pole was small but bright and there was a hint of the NPH in the north. Later I tried for 300x and 360x with the SLV's and the Contrast Booster stacked with a polariser, but it didn't seem as good as 281x with the StarGuider. I ended back with the StarGuider and Bandmate. Although the seeing was definitely going by then and the clouds came back. So, mission almost accomplished.
     
    Orion25 likes this.

Share This Page