HomeImage GalleryMars ImagesMars 2003

Mars August 2003 Opposition

 

22nd July 2003. approx 3:00UT (4:00AM BST)

 This is my first attempt at imaging Mars in 2003. I was amazed that there was any detail to be seen. I previously attempted to image Mars in 2001 and failed to see any detail whatsoever. However then Mars was only 10 degrees above the horizon at best. Note the prominence and size of the South Polar cap. You will notice it shrink through this sequence of images. As Mars southern hemisphere warms into summer the carbon dioxide ice will sublimate and enter the atmosphere leaving behind just water ice.

Diameter:  22.6 Arc Seconds

Altitude: 19 degrees
Seeing: 5/10. Transparency: 8/10
Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, no gain, white balance auto. 4 frames per second. 60 second AVI
Capture Software: Vega 2.1.1
Processing Software: Registax 1.

15th August 2003.

With an altidude of only 20 degrees at best the poor seeing (3/10) takes it's toll on the picture quality.

Diameter:  24.5 Arc Seconds

Altitude: 19 degrees
Seeing: 3/10. Transparency: 8/10
Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, no gain, white balance auto. 4 frames per second. 60 second AVI
Capture Software: Vega 2.1.1
Processing Software: Registax 1.1

20th August 2003

Considering the altitude of the planet above the horizon this was pretty good seeing (5/10)

Diameter:  24.9 Arc Seconds

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, no gain, white balance auto. 4 frames per second. 60 second AVI
Capture Software: Vega 2.1.1
Processing Software: Registax 1.1

29th August 2003

The closest I saw Mars. But not my best image. Seeing was poor: 3/10

Diameter:  25.0 Arc Seconds

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, no gain, white balance auto. 4 frames per second. 60 second AVI
Capture Software: Vega 2.1.1
Processing Software: Registax 2.0

29th August 2003

Phobos and Deimos, moons of Mars.
Mars was deliberately over exposed to bring out the moons Phobos and Deimos.
Phobos is the brighter of the two moons (Mag 10.4) and closest to the planet.
Deimos is the fainter moon (Mag 11.4) and further from the planet.

I was pretty pleased to get the moons, especially since I was using an unmodified webcam.

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian.
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/5th sec, 75% gain, white balance auto. 4 frames per second. 60 second AVI
Capture Software: Vega 2.1.1
Processing Software: Registax 2.0

29th August 2003

 This is a composite of Mars and the above image. The imaging details are as above except for the exposure settings for Marse were (1/250th sec and no gain).

 Diameter:  25.0 Arc Seconds

 

5th September 2003

This was a bit of an experiment. I set the white balance to "outdoor" which turned Mars bright red on the monitor. This brought out the surface details in much the same way a red filter would. This is probably my most detailed image of the surface of Mars.

Diameter:  24.7 Arc Seconds

 

5th September 2003

Mars and Deimos (Mag 11.5). Prime focus FL:1776mm (F8)

 

5th September 2003

Mars and Deimos composite. Prime focus FL:1776mm (F8)

Diameter:  24.7 Arc Seconds

 

15th September 2003

Red light
Diameter:  23.4 Arc Seconds 

Seeing 5/10

 Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, no gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

22nd September 2003

Some more terrible seeing: 3/10.
Notice that the south polar cap has now shrunk somewhat since July and August.

Diameter:  22.2 Arc Seconds

 

 Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, no gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

 

 7th October 2003

 Diameter:  19.3 Arc Seconds

Abysmal seeing: 2/10. However Mars is beginning to show a bit of a phase. i.e. some of the planet is in shadow as seen from earth

 Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, no gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

 

20th October 2003

 Diameter:  16.8 Arc Seconds

Seeing 3/10 but a bit of surface detail is visible along with the polar cap. Its possible that there is a bit of haze visible around the southern limb.

 Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, no gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

 

 24th October 2003

A nice image of Mars by my standards, Mars is a little higher in the sky now (30+ degrees). Notice how small the ice cap is now. Most of the carbon dioxide ice has entered Mars' atmosphere leaving just water ice behind. Apart from the ice cap the most prominent feature is known as the Eye of Mars.
Diameter:  16.1 Arc Seconds

Seeing 6/10

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, no gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

 

 5th November 2003

Diameter:  14.2 Arc Seconds

Terrible seeing 2/10. Almost no detail can be seen.

 Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, no gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

 

 12th November 2003  17:20UT

 Diameter:  13.2 Arc Seconds

Seeing is reasonably good 6/10. Compare this image with the 5th September for a closer view of the same region. Syrtis Major (the pointy bit) is just in shadow.

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, no gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

 

 21st November 2003

 Diameter:  12.0 Arc Seconds

Again reasonable seeing 5/10

 Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/33rd sec, 10% gain, white balance auto.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

 

 22nd November 2003

 Diameter:  11.95 Arc Seconds

Seeing 4/10

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, 20% gain, white balance outdoor.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

29th November 2003

Diameter 11.6 Arc Seconds

Seeing 2/10

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, 20% gain, white balance outdoor.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

7th December 2003

Diameter 10.3 Arc Seconds

Seeing 3/10

 

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, 20% gain, white balance outdoor.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

9th December 2003

Diameter 10.2 Arc Seconds

Seeing 2/10

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, 20% gain, white balance outdoor.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2

15th December 2003

Diameter 9.6Arc Seconds

Seeing 5/10

Telescope: 222mm F8 Dobsonian. 3 x Barlow. EFL 5328mm (F24).
Drive: Equatorial Platform.
Camera: Philips ToUcam 740 pro.
Settings: 1/50th sec, 20% gain, white balance outdoor.
10 frames per second. 180 second AVI
Capture Software: Qfocus
Processing Software: Registax 2