Mars Attempt 04/04/2014

[catman161]

Scope: 200P Mount: NEQ6 Pro Camera: ASI120MC & Televue 4x Powermate

 

 

First time trying to control the mount with EQmod and CdC and also first time trying alignmaster. Trying to center the star with the Alt/Az adjustment bolts was the most frustrating thing of all tonight! Although it did help bring the error almost to nothing whe I eventually managed it

 

Cloud rolled in after only 30mins once I had spent an hour and a half messing with polar alignment software! so below  is the best 50% of 1500 frames stacked in AS!2, wavelets in registax 5.1. Not greta as Mars was very low at 10:15 but it's a little better than my last attempt and its all good practice

 

Mars 04_04_2014 22_14_13 by Gattouomo161, on Flickr

[Craig]

Looking good Felix.

[+RonC]

On your way Felix, now you've got it sussed we expect some great images! (no pressure! )

 

Cheers

Ron

[catman161]

Thanks guys if I only I had had more time and Mars could have got a little higher I might have been able to have a few more runs but alas as usual the clouds came in

[Guest]

Nice shot! I'm planning my own raid on Mars but need to try out a new webcam on the Moon and Jupiter first.

[xanthic]

Top job. I think we've had better luck with the cloud up here. Didn't roll in until 12.

[dawson]

Well done Felix. Looks better than my attempts so far tonight! I'm really struggling to get the focu sorted, just no detail to help.

 

I'm going to try another method once this cloud clears at 2

 

But smashing attempt and clearly is Mars with light and dark areas. Is the north polar ice cap at the top left of the image?

 

JD
 

[catman161]

Thanks everyone Like I said good practice, just wish I could have ha a little more time on it.

James you have keen eyes that is the cap yes

[Dennis1954]

Felix

 

Love the picture. As a newbie I would be interested what you could see as a direct observation as I took advantage of a small break in the cloud last night but could only see a brightish disc with no contrast or colour. Was I looking at the planet of not, I checked my position and maps several times? I have a 150 P focal length 750mm. I am sure the scope is set up reasonably well as the rings on Jupiter are easily defined.

 

Dennis

[catman161]

Felix

Love the picture. As a newbie I would be interested what you could see as a direct observation as I took advantage of a small break in the cloud last night but could only see a brightish disc with no contrast or colour. Was I looking at the planet of not, I checked my position and maps several times? I have a 150 P focal length 750mm. I am sure the scope is set up reasonably well as the rings on Jupiter are easily defined.

Dennis

Hi Dennis, visually we will never be able I see the same detail that a camera picks out. In a 150P without the use of an accessory such as a Barlow lens or powermate you would need excellent conditions and a patient eye to pick out detail. I have only ever managed to pick out surface detail on Mars once and that was when it's elevation was a lot higher and conditions were very stable and transparent. The detail I saw was the polar ice cap and dark surface (I believe it was syrtis major). That was with dark spayed eyes and after about 30 minutes of viewing Mars and was through a 200P using a 2c televue powermate and a 10mm eyepiece (so effectively a 5mm eyepiece).

Takes a lot of patience and good conditions to see detail on Mars. It's great when it does happen though

[+Bino-viewer]

Nice image.