3/23/2010
8:35pm cst
Clear - Calm
51 degrees F
10"
10mm
moon filter 13% T
moon filter 13% T
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Mars revisited
3/23/2010
7:35pm CST
Clear - Calm
52 degrees F
10"
10mm
3/23/2010
7:35pm CST
Clear - Calm
52 degrees F
Clear - Calm
52 degrees F
10"
10mm
with #25 Red Filter
Images by Ethan Bader (8 years old)
Images by Ethan Bader (8 years old)
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Spring is in the air...
Last night (3/17/2010) was absolutely beautiful. At dusk, it was clear, crisp and calm. Temperatures ranged in the mid to lower 50s. The winter constellations of Orion and Taurus are slowing slewing to the west as spring constellations begin to rise from the east like Virgo and Coma.
Mars is still sitting high in the sky and unmistakable at sunset. I took extra time in viewing the 4th planet from the sun. After close inspection for about five minutes (letting my eyes further adjust to the darkness) I began to see what appeared to be slight dark patterns. They would come and go as the planet moved in and out of focus due to atmospheric conditions. I felt a little like Percival Lowel, a famous Astronomer about 110 years ago who thought he saw canals on the red planet and thus was convinced there as life on Mars. Still, I was disappointed that even with a 10” aperture there is not much detail to observe. I also experimented with a #25 red planetary filter and though it isolated Mars nicely, it was inconclusive that more detail was discernable.
Venus is now visible in the western sky at sunset. Our 2nd planet from the sun should begin to rise in March. On previous observations, Venus was in varying degrees of phase much like our moon. I have noted in the past that both Mercury and Venus have phases due to its relation to the sun and earth. This time Venus was at full exposure but there was something very interesting to observe: Whether it was because of its low position near the horizon and atmospheric conditions were involved; a very discernable orange shadow was visible – much like a crescent, it was quite a contrast as compared to the usual bright yellow color that is Venus. So in essence, the planet exhibited it normal yellow, featureless color but on one edge there was almost a burnt orange crescent color that blended into the majority of yellow – possibly a shadow? The start of a phase?
I also viewed M78 in Orion, a diffused nebula at 8.0 mag. This object has proved elusive in the past. I was able to make out two bright points within the object and some evidence of gas which appeared to be surrounding proto stars? I also enjoyed M93 in Puppis. M93 is a dazzling open cluster at magnitude 6.5.
Mars is still sitting high in the sky and unmistakable at sunset. I took extra time in viewing the 4th planet from the sun. After close inspection for about five minutes (letting my eyes further adjust to the darkness) I began to see what appeared to be slight dark patterns. They would come and go as the planet moved in and out of focus due to atmospheric conditions. I felt a little like Percival Lowel, a famous Astronomer about 110 years ago who thought he saw canals on the red planet and thus was convinced there as life on Mars. Still, I was disappointed that even with a 10” aperture there is not much detail to observe. I also experimented with a #25 red planetary filter and though it isolated Mars nicely, it was inconclusive that more detail was discernable.
Venus is now visible in the western sky at sunset. Our 2nd planet from the sun should begin to rise in March. On previous observations, Venus was in varying degrees of phase much like our moon. I have noted in the past that both Mercury and Venus have phases due to its relation to the sun and earth. This time Venus was at full exposure but there was something very interesting to observe: Whether it was because of its low position near the horizon and atmospheric conditions were involved; a very discernable orange shadow was visible – much like a crescent, it was quite a contrast as compared to the usual bright yellow color that is Venus. So in essence, the planet exhibited it normal yellow, featureless color but on one edge there was almost a burnt orange crescent color that blended into the majority of yellow – possibly a shadow? The start of a phase?
I also viewed M78 in Orion, a diffused nebula at 8.0 mag. This object has proved elusive in the past. I was able to make out two bright points within the object and some evidence of gas which appeared to be surrounding proto stars? I also enjoyed M93 in Puppis. M93 is a dazzling open cluster at magnitude 6.5.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Copernicus
"So far as hypotheses are concerned, let no one expect anything certain from astronomy, which cannot furnish it, lest he accept as the truth ideas conceived for another purpose, and depart from this study a greater fool than when he entered it." - Copernicus
Friday, March 12, 2010
Rough winter for viewing
It has been a difficult winter in the midwest. This explains why I have posted so few blogs through the winter months of January and February. We have had snow on the ground since Christmas and when it was clear, viewing was marred by a bright moon or severe cold.
Astro-Imaging has also proven to be a challenging task, especially in the cold of the winter. I am new to the prospect of taking deep space images and I have not been granted the luxury of sitting outside for long periods of time to figure out my image train and the incredible complexities of polar alignment, focal length and imaging with my new SCT 8" scope. Infact, it has been a frustrating venture especially when you begin to add up the amount of money spent to take my love for astronomy to the next level. It takes time and patience, both I will have more of when the air warms and Spring brings promise of longer session outside under the stars. Eventually, everything will click and progress should come with more ease and success.
Still to come, my first images using my new image train, new reviews and hopefully the conclusion of my Messier object catalog project.
Astro-Imaging has also proven to be a challenging task, especially in the cold of the winter. I am new to the prospect of taking deep space images and I have not been granted the luxury of sitting outside for long periods of time to figure out my image train and the incredible complexities of polar alignment, focal length and imaging with my new SCT 8" scope. Infact, it has been a frustrating venture especially when you begin to add up the amount of money spent to take my love for astronomy to the next level. It takes time and patience, both I will have more of when the air warms and Spring brings promise of longer session outside under the stars. Eventually, everything will click and progress should come with more ease and success.
Still to come, my first images using my new image train, new reviews and hopefully the conclusion of my Messier object catalog project.
Mars sits high in the evening sky
Spring has greeted the midwest with warmer weather and the planet Mars in the eastern sky near zenith. After sunset the orange/red planet is easily spotted as it tracks to the south west before midnight. Mars is in retrograde motion and resumes an eastward motion through April as it nears conjuction with M44 next month.
Using a 10" Dob with a 5mm eyepiece, the red planet is impressive in size but unimpressive in its detail. Though viewing conditions have been terrible, I was unable to make out any dark or light patterns or the pre-noted polar ice caps. Nevertheless, Mars is unmistakable and beautiful even without detail. Darker skies will no doubt reveal more secrets.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. It is also referred to as the "Red Planet" because of its reddish appearance, due to iron oxide prevalent on its surface. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of Earth. Unlike the Earth, Mars is now a geologically inactive planet with no known tectonic activity. It is the site of Olympus Mons, the highest known mountain in the Solar System, and of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon - wikipedia
Using a 10" Dob with a 5mm eyepiece, the red planet is impressive in size but unimpressive in its detail. Though viewing conditions have been terrible, I was unable to make out any dark or light patterns or the pre-noted polar ice caps. Nevertheless, Mars is unmistakable and beautiful even without detail. Darker skies will no doubt reveal more secrets.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. It is also referred to as the "Red Planet" because of its reddish appearance, due to iron oxide prevalent on its surface. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of Earth. Unlike the Earth, Mars is now a geologically inactive planet with no known tectonic activity. It is the site of Olympus Mons, the highest known mountain in the Solar System, and of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon - wikipedia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
