Mars = dissapointing

[Celeste]

Packed up last night around 8pm (cloud) but really wanted to see Mars....so around midnight I stuck the mount out the front door and crudely stuck the mak127 on it, eyepieces and barlow plonked on the wheelie bin....no aligning or motors just push the scope around and found Mars....all excited I look through the 25mm eyepiece and see....a red star. LOL. Ok 2x barlow in look again...a bigger red star! HMMM....10mm in I spy a tiny red round ball....so push it with the 2x barlow and 10mm and I see an unfocused red ball. Is that all you see? I take it Mars demands a BIGGER scope. Got bored looking at a red ball so turned to M42....lovely. Not much detail though.

I also tried using the 3x Tal but I couldn't get focus with it in the 150P-DS...Jupiter looked awful Fine with just the eyepieces but use the Tal barlow and I see stuff all out of focus. ARGH.

[Daz Type-R]

I`m no expert but is it not a bit early for Mars, if you give it until March will it not be higher in the sky, failing that, I beleive Mars is at opposition next year so you might have better luck then.

I was looking forward to seeing Mars this year, hope I manage to do a little bit better!

Well you know what they say, try, try, try again.......

[Celeste]

Yeah, I will try again....just need a decent clear night

[Guest Kheldar]

Mars is always (dare I say it) a bit of a party pooper.

March is the best time for the next two years to see it!

[philjay]

Mars at the moment is a little small so requires the right conditions to get a good view.

Your 127 Mak is up to the job, just make sure its cooled well for at least an hour before expecting to see detail on Mars. 127 Maks are good but a grab and go they arent if you are wanting to do serious observations with them

Also seeing conditions will dictate what detail you can see, if its windy and the atmosphere is all over the place you wont see much at all, you need a good calm atmosphere.

With a cooled scope and still conditions Mars will need a bit of magnification as well at the moment. As we move colser to opposition the view will get better. 2 years ago at the last opposition I was getting stunning views of Mars with my 80mm F15 refractor and the 127 Mak I had at the time, polar caps, solis larcus, acidalia and of course Syrtis Major were all clearly seen. I also used colour filters and they helped alot.

You dont need a monster scope to see good stuff on Mars just the right conditions

Phil

[Celeste]

Rightyho.....hang out til March Yeah I had packed up didn't cool the mak at all....I just spotted the opportunity to stick the mount out the front

[+Ibbo]

It also needs practice

a quick look does not work you need to give your eye and brain time at the eyepiece

It also helps if you try to draw what you see-makes you look for the detail and moments of good seeing

[Doc]

I agree 100% with Ibbo, I always used to sketch at the eyepiece and you do see so much more.

[Rusty Strings]

I've never had much luck with mars either

[+Ibbo]

I also meant to say its not just Mars it works for all observing

[Guest Bryndalf]

i cant draw at all tried and failed

[red dwalf]

i`ve done a few images of Mars with the webcam, my first efforts weren`t too bad, could clearly see a red planet of course, but with ice caps which is alot more than i`ve seen with visual as our chance of a good sky always happens when i`m at work !

[cosmic dave]

Late feb and march for mars. I have to say I love the red planet (but the again planets are my thing) I stayed up the other night just to see it. Will not even think about using a scope for a good few weeks yet.

Late feb and march for mars. I have to say I love the red planet (but then again planets are my thing) I stayed up the other night just to see it. Will not even think about using a scope for a good few weeks yet.