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Mars

Close encounters of Moon, Mars, M45 and M44 in 2025

2025-06-30T09:28:18+00:0030 June 2025|Appulse, Conjunction, Mars, Moon, News, Open Cluster|

Close Encounters of 3 kinds – a little tongue-in-cheek 🙂

Inverted Moon images are always interesting.

  • 1st – the Moon in the Pleiades – tricky since the Moon is so much brighter so only the unilluminated – by the Sun – side of the Moon is shown here but stretched to show Earthlight.
    250mm f4.8 Newtonian and QHY168C.
  • 2nd – the moon and Mars approach M44 the beehive. Again the Moon is overexposed apart from the earthlit side.
    250mm f4.8 Newtonian and QHY168C.
  • 3rd – Mars in the Beehive Cluster -M44 Praesepe – “the Manger”.
    Canon 600D and 300mm lens.

Mars 2020-12-01

2020-12-03T14:12:00+00:003 December 2020|Mars|

Bright settled dust in Hellas

Object IDMars
Details2020-12-01 21:14 UT
CM 48°
Seeing 3/10
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 4500mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)140s 102 fps video
25% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020 updated 2020-12-01

2020-12-03T14:15:11+00:001 December 2020|Mars, News|

Lots of Mars images clogging up my newsfeed so one image “to rule them all…” to be updated through the apparition.

Dec 01 – Think this is the end of my Mars season. Too small to capture much detail now but it’s been a good one!

Just going to keep updating this throughout the apparition rather than keep putting new images up. Also marked out a few of the more interesting and well known features. I was delighted when I managed to find Olympus Mons although it seems to be brighter this year than in previous apparitions.

Seeing variations make a big difference to detail that can be seen as does my ability to process them. Seeing was much worse later on in the season as Mars receded and got smaller.

General details
250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC
ZWO ASI290MC, IR block
180s SER files, 3 – 50% stacked depending on conditions
100-160 fps
Captured in FireCapture
Processed in AutoStakkert 3, Registax, Photoshop

Mars 2020-11-28

2020-12-03T14:10:06+00:0029 November 2020|Mars|

Dust storm is still only just visible in Hellas

Object IDMars
Details2020-11-28 19:47 UT
CM 40°
Seeing 3/10
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 4500mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 118 fps video
40% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-11-27

2020-12-03T14:12:52+00:0027 November 2020|Mars|

Dust storm is still only just visible in Hellas

Object IDMars
Details2020-11-27 19:51 UT
CM 65°
Seeing 2/10
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 4500mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 114 fps video
30% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-11-22

2020-11-24T18:44:12+00:0024 November 2020|Mars, News|

Dust storm is still visible but fading and getting smaller.

Object IDMars
Details2020-11-21 17:47 UT
CM 81.5°
Seeing 2/10
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 4500mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 124 fps video
25% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-11-19

2020-11-19T20:18:21+00:0019 November 2020|Mars, News|

Taken during a live stream to the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh members, in some of the worst seeing! Dust storm is more visible at this CM. BAA Mars Mapper 2020 for comparison.

Object IDMars
Details2020-11-19 19:29 UT
CM 134°
Seeing 1/10
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)120s 99 fps video
30% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-11-17

2020-11-18T09:11:39+00:0017 November 2020|Mars, News|

Another quick cloud gap but very strong winds and some of the worst seeing. Still managing to get something out of it. Must be getting better. Showing some form of cloud where marked by an arrow, possibly the local dust storm. Sent to the BAA and got this back from the Mars Director, so maybe:
“Yes, you caught it. Well done, not many in the uk did. Nuttall, myself and you so far.”

Object IDMars
Details2020-11-17 21:05 UT
CM 176°
Seeing 2/10
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)120s 139 fps video
20% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-11-15

2020-11-16T11:10:14+00:0016 November 2020|Mars, News|

Quick gap in the clouds. Lots of processing artefacts. Getting harder to do Mars now as it recedes.

Object IDMars
Details2020-11-15 21:42 UT
CM 203°
Seeing 5/10
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 169 fps video
25% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-10-14

2020-10-15T15:14:19+00:0015 October 2020|Mars|

Olympus Mons much clearer now and Arcadia next to it. Just a 10 minute gap in the clouds but rasonably steady.

Object IDMars
Details2020-10-14 20:53 UT
CM 118°
Seeing II
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 113 fps video
10% frames used
1.5x Drizzle
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-10-06

2020-10-07T09:04:12+00:007 October 2020|Mars|

First time for Olympus Mons, visible as a pale patch at 9 o’clock on the limb. Using 1.5x drizzle most of the time now.

Object IDMars
Details2020-10-06 20:56 UT
CM 192°
Seeing III
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 100 fps video
5% frames used
1.5x Drizzle
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Drizzle 1.5x

Mars 2020-10-04

2020-10-05T22:01:29+00:005 October 2020|Mars|

Quick gap in the clouds – just 2 minutes captured. Barely enough. Using 1.5x drizzle in AutoStakkert for the first time.

Object IDMars
Details2020-10-04 22:11 UT
CM 224°
Seeing III
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)120s 101 fps video
10% frames used
1.5x Drizzle
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Resized 120%

BAA Mars Mapper shows:
Mars Mapper 2020-10-04

Mars 2020-10-01

2020-10-05T16:18:15+00:002 October 2020|Mars|

Medium good seeing again. Trying out new techniques, less Gamma on recording, lighter touch but there’s more noise now. Still not happy with the results but I suspect I never will be.

Mars images are now being sent to the Mars section of the BAA.

Object IDMars
Details2020-10-01 21:51 UT
CM 246°
Seeing III
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 125 fps video
3% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Resized 120%

BAA Mars Mapper shows:

Mars 2020-09-29

2020-10-05T16:18:41+00:0030 September 2020|Mars|

Decent seeing even when low down but then went to boiling as it got higher. The “peninsula” off the Mare Cimmerium are visible. Sinus Gomer?

Object IDMars
Details2020-09-29 21:43 UT
CM 262°
Seeing II
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 108 fps video
3% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS

Mars 2020-09-28

2020-10-05T16:18:25+00:0029 September 2020|Mars|

Medium good seeing

Object IDMars
Details2020-09-28 22:44 UT
CM 285°
Seeing II
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 120 fps video
3% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Resized 120%

Over a few hours Mars 2020-09-29 22:44UT (1h 50m), Mars rotates quite  lot:
Mars animation

BAA Mars Mapper shows:

Mars 2020-09-17

2020-10-05T21:49:39+00:0024 September 2020|Mars|

Jetstream is absent so good seeing

Object IDMars
Details2020-09-17 22:46 UT
CM 24°
Seeing II
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 111 fps video
25% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Resized 120%

BAA Mars Mapper shows:

Mars 2020-09-15

2020-10-05T21:46:26+00:0023 September 2020|Mars, News|

Jetstream is absent so good seeing

Object IDMars
Details2020-09-15 22:49 UT
CM 43°
Seeing II
Telescope250mm f4.8 Newtonian
x3 Barlow 3600mm fl
CameraZWO ASI 290MC
Exposure(s)180s 111 fps video
25% frames used
CaptureFirecapture
ProcessingAutoStakkert 3, Registax 6, PS
Resized 120%

BAA Mars Mapper shows:

Mars plus identification of features

Jupiter and Mars conjunction 2018-01-7

2018-01-08T13:40:55+00:008 January 2018|Conjunction, Jupiter, Mars, News, Other|

A very close conjunction.

Object IDJupiter and Mars in conjunction
DetailsA very close conjunction, less than 14′ between the two planets. Poor seeing and very low altitude <15degrees
Date/Time2018-01-7 05:47UT, Inset 06:03UT
TelescopeC80ED @ f7.5
CameraCanon 600D
Exposure(s)30s, inset 0.6s
no darks,  flats or bias
CaptureAPT unguided
ProcessingProcessed in Photoshop


9th Febraury 2010

2017-01-31T10:52:46+00:009 February 2010|Mars|

2010-02-09 21:08 UT
200mm f5 Newtonian at f20
using 2 x2 barlows
120s video stacked in Registax
Philips SPC900 unmodified webcam
Not the sort of instrument to normally use for planets but surprisingly OK – mostly because of good seeing – at least for here.

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