Mars 8 January 2010

[Paul Haese]

Nice seeing was present on this night but it could have been just a little better to give better definition to Olympus Mons and the Tharis region. You can see cloud over Tharis and near the northern pole. Pretty happy with the image.

Click Here (http://paulhaese.net/Mars8January2010.html)for image

Comments welcome

[OneOfOne]

Excellent (as always)...what more can I say, especially considering how small Mars is. Can't wait until August (again) when it will be as large as the full moon :)

[supernova1965]

When you say as large as the full moon do you mean that mars will look as big as the full moon viewed with naked eye but through a scope?

[Paul Haese]

Warren don't worry about that, it is an in joke that people get every year in August via email.

Thanks guys for the comments.

[supernova1965]

Yeah I have been telling everyone that it is rubbish but I wondered I saw mars last fortnight through a 10" Newt with a 9mm EP the best detail I had yet got loved it, how much bigger will it get at its biggest.

[Manav]

"Mars is getting smaller each opposition, with 2010 being the worst year with a low altitude and a small angular size. It starts improving from 2014, with 2018 being the best Mars opposition in the next 15 years as it will be high in the sky and a massive 24" in diameter."

Took this from the planet oppositions (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/planetopp.html) page @ IIS.

[supernova1965]

I heard that it is in an increase in size this year compared with last year.:thanx::thumbsup:

[Joel Warren]

Wow Paul, you got caught cloud activity all over the disc. Very impressive!