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I've been observing this past week both Mars and Jupiter as they dance around Zubenelgenubi, the star with the best name of all.
This morning I used my Tele Vue-60 and 6-3mm Nagler zoom and 2.5mm Nagler with and without Tele Vue Bandmate Planetary filter. At the 6mm setting both planets were on the edge of the same field of view, this at 60x. At 120x and 144x I could see the GRS on Jupiter along with numerous bands. The contrast on this little 'scope is astounding!
Mars was clearly a disk but bland even though seeing wasn't too bad given the altitude. I've seen Syrtis Major (as an obvious dark patch) with this little telescope when Mars was around 5 arc seconds when it was in the evening sky a few months ago at a similar altitude. I checked the ephemeris later and found Syrtis Major was around the other side at the time.
I'm looking forward to the opposition of Mars this year which will see Mars appear about 5x larger than currently at 24.3 arc seconds on July 27.
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