Anyone had a good look at Mars?

[vespine]

I've never managed to get a good look at mars yet, tried earlier this year but always caught it too close to the horizon and never got much more then a wriggly blob. Having a look at the calendar at the moment it looks like mars prime time, I'm going to head out to a dark site the weekend of the 8th of December, just before the new moon see if I can finally get a good look. Anyone had any good views?

[iceman (Mike)]

It's still worth looking at, even though it's still pretty small (12 arcsecs) and low (30deg).

You've just got to hope for some nice seeing, but you'll see the NPH and albedo features depending on the face that's shown at the time.

[glenc (Glen)]

I looked at Mars a couple of nights ago and two dark areas were visible.
You don't need dark skies to see it but you do need good seeing.
Check here for the jet stream and seeing.
http://icons.wunderground.com/data/images/au_jt.gif
Mars transits here at about 5:30 am DST and you can look at it during twilight.

[rwong]

Mars opposition on Earth will occur on 24 Dec , with apparent brightness of Mars reaches -1.64 mag in constellation Gemini.
Closest approach of Mars and Earth will occur on 18 Dec with apparent diameter of Mars 15.88".

Clear skies
WWP

[UpsizeThis]

Not with a telescope, because I don't have one yet. But last night I caught sight of it with my 10x50 binoculars. It looked a fierce red. Nice and sharp.

[CoombellKid]

I just finished rebuilding my scope, so I'm keen to look at anything but clouds
But Mars is definitely on the list, haven't seen it at all this time around yet,
except for a quick gander when it first appeared on the eastern horizon's
dawn sky.

I'm hoping it will clear (priddy please) tonight so I can sit back on the
trampoline and watch Geminids going off.

regards,CS

[§AB]

so far my best views of Mars was with the naked eye

[Meadehead]

A few nights ago I had a chance to see it.

At 77x I saw a small orange wriggly blob, but at 206x I saw large fuzzy orange wriggly ball

Hopefully later this month when it's at opposition I may get another chance.

[Stephen65]

I've tried a few times but haven't been blessed with good enough seeing, so I am seeing the same wriggly blob as the rest of you. I can make out some dark areas but not much more. It's also an intensely bright orange wriggly bob - going to Mars after spending three hours looking at DSO's at a dark sky sight was a blinding experience.

[edwardsdj (Doug)]

I had a look on the 13/12/2007 from around 10pm until 12:30am. There were only a few moments of steady seeing and cloud was in the way for about half of the time.

I find the part of Mars facing us as it culminates at the moment quite bland. The features are too subtle for me to see unless the seeing is exceptionally good.

For a few moments at 200x I was able to see Mare Siremun quite clearly and just make out the North polar hood. Looking forward to some more interesting parts rolling into view over the coming weeks.

Have fun,
Doug

[glenc (Glen)]

Did you see the glacier?

A probable active glacier has been identified for the first time on Mars. The icy feature has been spotted in images from the European Space Agency's (Esa) Mars Express spacecraft.
Ancient glaciers, many millions of years old, have been seen before on the Red Planet, but these ones may only be several thousand years old.
The young glacier appears in the Deuteronilus Mensae region between Mars' rugged southern highlands and the flat northern lowlands.
"If it was an image of Earth, I would say 'glacier' right away," Dr Gerhard Neukum, chief scientist on the spacecraft's High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) told BBC News.
"We have not yet been able to see the spectral signature of water. But we will fly over it in the coming months and take measurements. On the glacial ridges we can see white tips, which can only be freshly exposed ice.
This is found in very few places on the Red Planet because as soon ice is exposed to the Martian environment, it sublimates - or turns from a solid state directly into gas...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7151190.stm

[rmcpb (Rob)]

I would like to get ANY view of anything other than clouds at present!!

Seen it a couple of time out the window in the wee small hours.

[UpsizeThis]

I saw some clear sky the other day. It was mid-afternoon. I looked up and thought, "What an unusual colour."

[sailormoon]

Its been way to cloudy lately for me to try and get a good look.

[astroron (Ron)]

I sugest that when observing to use some colour filters, Red,Light Blue , and Orange.
they help to bring out detail as well help to cut down some of the shimmer.
Also observe for a good period of time because there will be some moments of still sky when you will be well rewarded for your patience
Also high mag is required to see much more than a disc even in medium to large scopes.

[ving (David)]

i had a look recently and as the saying goes, seeing is king it was a blurry blob!
but yuo have to take what you can get... i hadnt been out with my telescope due to weather and commitments for wel over a month, maybe even 2 so I was happy with what i got