Reducing Mars' glare

[Tosong]

Hi there!

I've just got into astronomy about a month ago. I'm using a 130mm reflector with 25mm and 9mm eyepieces (seperately :P) Saturn is looking great, but I was wanting to know how to get past the glare on Mars and see some detail? at the moment it's just a bright orange blob.

Cheers,

[ZeroID]

Hi Daniel, Yeah, Saturn is cool for sure. Mars is a lot more difficult especially at present when it is at it more distant position from us. It is also a small planet, unlike Saturn and Jupiter ( Cool also ).
Colour fiters will help give some detail, blue and yellow\orange I beleive but being small and bright it also suffers from our atmospheres disturbance while viewing. I suspect some patience, a good clear still night, dark adaptation and better still a bigger scope to handle a higher magnification will be the best answer.
It is not an easy viewing target as most will attest.

[Tosong]

Cheers for that Zero, good to know i'm not missing an important step :).
Can't wait to see Jupiter later this year!

[Varangian]

I'm not entirely sure up your way, but you may be able to see Jupiter about 45 minutes before sunrise?

[Tosong]

Thanks! I think tonight might be an all nighter:thumbsup:

[mbyrr]

Do you recommend any filters for Saturn?

[Varangian]

I personally use a yellow filter sometimes with a moon filter to reduce glare. I find the yellow accentuates and breaks apart the belts (admittedly in a 8 inch these are very faint). I find the moon filter breaks down glare just enough so I can just make out the black line of the Cassini.