Mars is close

[Adrian ss]

Mars is starting retrograde motion as the Earth overtakes it.
At just on 60.million klm distant from us it is a very bright object in the night sky after around 2200 hrs our time. and was even visible in the west just before dawn. Sky was pale blue. That is pretty close considering that Mars is usually around 150 million klm from earth and around 200 million klm from the sun.
Been trying to get a pic with the 900 no success yet. Having problems achieving good focus & exp.

Plenty of light but total crap image.
Will have another go tonight if clouds stay away.

 

[MegsyB007]

Astrologers will tell you that Mars is the planet of chaos. Seems they might be right with it this close to Earth in 2020...

Will have a look tonight if the clouds let me.

Thanks for posting. :Y:

Cheers,
Megsy

 

[Adrian ss]

Look here.
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/night/australia/canberra

 

[MegsyB007]

Thanks for that Adrian - that's a cool site! I know to wait until 9pm now, and where to look for it!

Cheers,
Megsy

 

[Heatho]

Astrologers will tell you that Mars is the planet of chaos. Seems they might be right with it this close to Earth in 2020...

Will have a look tonight if the clouds let me.

Thanks for posting. :Y:

Cheers,
Megsy

Late in 2019 I read an atrological report for 2020, there was plague, financial problems, war and absolute chaos predicted due the the rare planetary alignments that have generally signalled chaos before, such as wars and plagues.

The year so far has pretty much been exactly as was predicted. I'm interested in astrology as far as it's interesting to read and see what plays out but this prediction was pretty spot on, I read it and thought "yeah ok see what happens". Here we are.....

 

[Nightjar]

Look here.
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/night/australia/canberra

Thanks Adrian, Have never known the time, location, direction to look for the planets until now.

 

[xcvator]

To get a good photo you need a tripod. Line up you camera and focus. Set the speed to the 500 rule

https://petapixel.com/2015/01/06/avoid-star-trails-following-500-rule/

Take as many shots as you can in a minute or so then blend them in "Sequator"

 

[Adrian ss]

Will give that a try and see what happens.

 

[Ramjet]

That would be why there are 3 spacecraft currently on their way to Mars. A 4th was planned but the pandemic made it miss it's launch Window.

 

[Adrian ss]

Ran off a few shots last night (Seeing was good) and I think it is safe to say that the P900 does not have the resolution to be able to record surface details like shading and the pole cap on Mars. It can show colour banding of Jupitor but not remotely good enough to be able to display the great red Spot for eg.
It can display the rings of saturn....Sort of half ok.

Cropped in camera shot of Saturn from approx one month ago.

 

[Skip]

Awesome shot! I've recently dusted off the binoculars. Ive got a pair of Glory 16x50 that I picked up for $20. As clear as my zeiss or nikon.

Just need a new tripod bino mount and I'll grab one of the phone clamps while I'm at it and I'm back in business.

 

[Skip]

How's the Mars pics coming along?
I've been stuck in the city so haven't bothered looking up, but I love getting out in the snowing mountains in those crisp nights as the stars seem to come alive!