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[Centaur]

Ruddy Mars is reentering our evening skies. Its early March opposition from the Sun will be the most distant of its current 15-17-year cycle, but at least it will be fairly high in the sky for northern hemisphere observers.

My detailed article previewing Mars’ 2012 apparition appears under the links for my related graphics at www.CurtRenz.com/mars

Photos and descriptions of Mars during its current apparition would be welcome additions to this thread.

[Centaur]

I've created five new graphs and added them to my Mars webpage. They include data on Mars' angular diameter, percentage of disk illuminated, stellar magnitude, meridian transit time and apparent axial tilt. The latter indicates which pole is tipped toward us. www.CurtRenz.com/mars

[Paulie pchris00]

Dec 29, 2011 1:41:22 GMT -6 Centaur said:

Its early March opposition from the Sun will be the most distant of its current 15-17-year cycle, but at least it will be fairly high in the sky for northern hemisphere observers.

I haven't learned much in astronomy, but I have learned this: planetary oppositions that occur "fairly high in the sky for northern hemisphere observers" means that it is probably going to be cold out.

I will take low, summer ecliptic oppositions, please.

[Paulie pchris00]

I'm actually looking very forward to Mars's opposition, since we only have very limited good viewing of the Red Planet. Cold or not, I'll be out there when it's clear.

[-=CROMAN=-]

Caught mars the other night. Meh...

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Mars is really not one of my favorite objects.

Arc too small for causal observation.

But, with large aperture, and pushing magnification, it is a surprising treat to catch the Ice cap and some terrestrial markings...

I have told this story before....

During the Mars close approach madness a few years back. I set up my trusty 4.5" Meade reflector outside of the Adler, (before I was associated with the museum). I had long...I mean long lines waiting to take a peek at Mars. I used a high powered eyepiece and popped in a red filter. With no motor drive, I manually tracked it for hours. With the hundreds of people in line, I could only allow just about a 30 seconds for each person.

But.....People who just came from the Doane observatory said that my views in my little scope was better than what the 20" scope was showing in the observatory. (Funny- that a day after the closest approach, the majority of the crowds vanished and those who did arrive, had unlimited time to view the red planet - which was essentially the same... )

It's all about presentation and the show.

With the C11, I look forward to catching the apparition this time around...

[Centaur]

Jan 14, 2012 10:40:50 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

With the C11, I look forward to catching the apparition this time around...

Mars is growing brighter each night as it approaches its March 3rd opposition, now only twenty days away. Tonight from Chicagoland Mars will rise at 19:23 and about five minutes earlier each succeeding evening. I'm looking forward to photos and descriptions from your C11 observations, Joe. I hope others will share their Martian experiences too.

[Paulie pchris00]

I had a look at Mars this morning at home with my 6" Dob. The polar ice cap was the only real feature to be seen (seeing conditions were not very good). I'm hoping to catch it before work tonight with the 16" at Conway. Should be able to push magnification and do a lot of filtering.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I'm on it....

[-=CROMAN=-]

I was just out there.... To cold for me

[Centaur]

Feb 13, 2012 2:06:53 GMT -6 -=CROMAN=- said:

I was just out there.... To cold for me

It's getting warmer. Closest approach is less than a week away. It will be more than two years before Mars comes closer. Time to leave our igloos.

[-=CROMAN=-]

I agree Centaur. A cpuple of us will be at Hickory Knolls this saturday. Hopefully the clouds will be minimal for our event.

[Paulie pchris00]

I've had some very good looks at Mars the last two weekends. I'll be posting pics later.

[Paulie pchris00]

I spent damn near all night Observing Saturday night/Sunday morning at Conway Observatory. I observed plenty of objects throughout the night, but one was a must: Mars.

My first view of Mars in April of 2008 was through the 16" telescope at Valparaiso University's campus observatory. I was impressed with the view then, although it was well past it's prime of opposition. This was my first chance to see the Red Planet near opposition with a large aperture telescope. I wasn't going to waste a clear night without seeing Mar, no matter how cold it was.

I'd already seen Mars with the 16" a few times this year, and was mostly disappointed. Now I had the chance to wait until it came into prime viewing position, high above the horizon. I spent almost an hour marveling at our planetary neighbor.

The polar ice cap is visible in much smaller telescopes, and was really the only discernible feature I'd ever seen. As I was visually observing, north was to my right looking through the eyepiece. The white polar ice cap stood out nicely there. Dark markings marred the pinkish surface. To the east and west, though, I saw bright white spots near the limb. I first thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but I've read since that although uncommon, sometimes white water clouds can be seen floating over the Martian surface in larger telescopes. Now I wonder if that's what I might have seen.








Mars with a yellow filter.






Blue filter.




Unfiltered.






Probably the best of the bunch. The polar cap is at right. Notice the white looking patches at top and bottom. Could those be Martian clouds?


Mars was worth waiting until after midnight in the cold to see, especially when we have so few chances to see it well. If we're clouded out this weekend for opposition, at least I've already had a good observation of Mars near it's peak. And the oppositions will be getting better the next few years, and least concerning distance and season.

[Paulie pchris00]

I'm almost certain that I saw and vaguely imaged Martian clouds. I read last night that clouds are fairly common in the Tharsis region, which I think corresponds to the very bottom of this picture, where a white haze is seen.





That's my story, and I'm sticking to it until somebody proves me wrong.


Link for the HST image:
elvis.rowan.edu/~klassen/papers/dps96.shtml

Attachments:

[patrickm]

Tharsis Region!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Here is the most recent Mars shot from that wonder kid from the Philippines...

www.christone.net/astro/mars/index.html

We do indeed have atmospheric clouds that Paulie spotted.

He does incredible work with that C11....!

[Paulie pchris00]

Those are awesome.

I observed the clouds again tonight with my Dob. High degree of confidence now that I'm not seeing things a la Percival Lowell.

[erikruud]

I observed clouds tonight too. They were just a lot closer than Mars.

[Paulie pchris00]

Mar 1, 2012 21:59:56 GMT -6 erikruud said:

I observed clouds tonight too. They were just a lot closer than Mars.

I half expected that response.

Congratulations Erik for pouncing on the set up!

[erikruud]

It just seems to be my luck the last couple of weeks, that if I am not busy at night it clouds up.

[Centaur]

Thanks for sharing your fine photos, Paulie. Even though opposition is today, Mars will be its closest for this apparition on March 5 at a distance of 0.6737 AU and an angular diameter of 13.9 arcseconds. No, that's not as big as a Full Moon!

[Paulie pchris00]

Well, after being clouded out for our Mars opposition open house at Conway Observatory Saturday, I figured I would try a sidewalk astronomy session in Valpo for closest approach. Venus and Jupiter were clouded out almost right away. Okay, Mars was the big attraction anyway, and Luna was looking rather nice. I had a few minutes alone with Mars, still low above the horizon. Even before the clouds engulfed Mars, seeing conditions were quite bad. Not long after that even Luna disappeared behind the cloud cover. It was too cold to wait around waiting for sucker holes, so I gave up.

As Joe noted above for the 2003 Mars Madness, the hype over Mars will die down this week now that we're past opposition and closest approach. The view will still be pretty good, so maybe I'll give it another shot later this week if the weather cooperates. The chances for showing off Mars to the public are too few to let this apparition pass by without giving Mars a chance to show itself to a wide audience.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Here is an apparition shot of Mars taken by another astrophotographer...

www.astrophotogallery.org/member-galleries/p9143-mars-at-opposition-2012.html

Very cool....and through a C11 too!

[patrickm]

Holy smokes! I think I DO see the little green men. Awesome!!