What should I be seeing?

[togo54]

10" dob. 32mm, 25mm, 9mm ep's and a 3x barlow. When veiwing Mars with any combination of the above, the only veiw I get is a small dot and a progressivley larger dot. Looking at Mars with even the 9mm barlowed 3x resembles looking at a street lamp from 200 meters away. Is my 'scope fubared?
Thanks in advance....must sleep now...:)

[asimov]

Have'nt looked at mars visually for awhile, but I know you should be seeing it larger than a 'small dot'. (depends on ones idea of small) Using the 9mm would be your best bet but to use a 3X barlow with it.....well don't bother, miles too much magnification, depending on your seeing/collimation...Viewing mars at it's maximum elevation? Scope left out for at least 1 hour to cool before viewing? Is the dot your seeing orange? Is the scope collimated within reason? You positive your not related to Jimi?

[janoskiss]

Mars should look like an orangish disk with a well defined sharp edge. Yes, the 9mm eyepiece is the one you want, without the Barlow. Or you can use a Barlowed 25mm for a little bit more magnification (but the image quality will be better with just the 9mm). Once you do see a well defined disk, then you need to look carefully to see surface detail and the polar cap. The contrast on Mars is very low. The most prominent markings on the surface are slightly bluer than the rest of the planet, and the polar cap is a little bit whiter, and bulges out a tiny bit (somewhere up "top" when you look at it through the eyepiece). Look now, persisting with attention to the subtle details, because in a couple of months' time Mars will be gone and won't be back for over 2 years.

[ving]

like steve said, a bright orange disk with sharp dfined edges and darkish surface details. the more you look the more you'll see.

[Striker]

Thats easy fixed Tom....move to Australia.

[togo54]

Striker
Moving to OZ has been my dream for the last 30+ years. My current job pays me $23 USD an hour making paper towels (I work for Georgia Pacific....making Brawny paper towels). Hook me up with a similar paying job "Down Under"....and I'll be there in a heartbeat....:)

[togo54]

Maybe I should clarify a bit. I know what I should be seeing but what I was curious about is how large mars should in my FOV with the dob, 25mm ep and a 3x barlow. I currently see a very sharp image but it's small (imagine looking at the eraser end of a pencil from about 10' away)
Thanks

[ving]

you have ms paint on your puter yes?
use it to draw the FOV and how big mars looks within it. i think thats the best bet. :)
like this...

[davidpretorius]

I have a 10" dob.

so at 12.5mm or 100x this is a fairly close representation

and also at 6.5mm or 192x

the rings are aprox field of views

your 9mm without any barlow should be roughly between the two size scales.

put the barlow to the side for a moment and just have a go with the eyepieces. if the atmosphere is shocking then don't worry about detail, just the size of the disc

hope this helps

[ving]

on ya davo, what a leg-end!

[togo54]

davidpretorius

My view of mars is slightly larger that the second pic. Had good seeing 2 nites ago and was able to see cloud formation and the bluish hue of the polar cap. This was with a 25mm and a 3x barlow.
Thanks

[ving]

then you seem to be seeing what you should be seeing then :)

[davidpretorius]

yup my eyes are also seeing what they should be seeing, except after too many guinesses. then they only see what i want them to see ie the horsehead neblua with the naked eye!!!

vingo and davo to the rescue again!!!!

we should do a radio talkback show on astronomy questions. we might answer 1 or 2, but the rest of answers would be full of ......!

[ving]

I can see it now dave....

"next caller please... and how can we help you"

"hi i am having problems viewing the central star in IC 666, can you help me?"

"er... you need to umm... get a guiness filter to see that, its a tricky one... next caller!"
------------------

how can you drink that stuff dave, its so flat and lifeless :P

[davidpretorius]

like me!!!!

actually dave47tuc has banned me from drinking whilst observing!!!

[togo54]

Thanks guys. I to have a bad habit of indulging in a few beers whilst playing with the telescope..:)