Well, it looks like it is.
Last night the transparency was great ( a rare sight this time of year) and Mars was amazingly bright in the Eastern sky as I took Kn to Martial arts. By eye, it seemed just as bright as Venus - but very, very orange.
So just before bed, about Midnight, I quickly dragged Dobby on to the front step for a quick look.
It was windy, and biting cold (even through the big coat and scarf), and as it turned out the seeing was a bit poor. I lined up with the 25mm ep (Mars looking great on a sparse star field) and jumped straight to my 6mm ep but the shimmer was too strong, with Mars quite large and bright, I don't think I've ever seen it so close. Moving to the 13mm ep reduced the shimmer, but detail still eludes me. I might be able to convince myself I saw a white tinge at the top of the disc, where I would expect to see the polar ice, but everything was smeared by the seeing (and probably the dust storm as well).
No photos, as it was too cold.
Dare I hope for more clear nights as opposition approaches?
Last night the transparency was great ( a rare sight this time of year) and Mars was amazingly bright in the Eastern sky as I took Kn to Martial arts. By eye, it seemed just as bright as Venus - but very, very orange.
So just before bed, about Midnight, I quickly dragged Dobby on to the front step for a quick look.
It was windy, and biting cold (even through the big coat and scarf), and as it turned out the seeing was a bit poor. I lined up with the 25mm ep (Mars looking great on a sparse star field) and jumped straight to my 6mm ep but the shimmer was too strong, with Mars quite large and bright, I don't think I've ever seen it so close. Moving to the 13mm ep reduced the shimmer, but detail still eludes me. I might be able to convince myself I saw a white tinge at the top of the disc, where I would expect to see the polar ice, but everything was smeared by the seeing (and probably the dust storm as well).
No photos, as it was too cold.
Dare I hope for more clear nights as opposition approaches?
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