New Mars Forums

rustyplanet

Banned

From: San Jose

Registered: 2003-07-07

Posts: 21

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

I can't wait, I've been waking up at one in the morning to look at it and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

sethmckiness

Banned

From: Iowa

Registered: 2002-09-20

Posts: 230

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

I will probably miss it, thats in the middle of monsoon season here in Korea!

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We are only limited by our Will and our Imagination.

clark

Member

Registered: 2001-09-20

Posts: 6,374

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

Looks like Mars will be giving me a special birthday present this year. 

Josh Cryer

Moderator

Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

Me too.

It sure is exciting, no? I'm thinking about getting me a good telesope now, just for this ocassion.

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Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
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The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

clark

Member

Registered: 2001-09-20

Posts: 6,374

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

Mars is at its closest point to Earth on Aug 26-27th. It hasn't been this close for almost a hundred years, I think.

rustyplanet

Banned

From: San Jose

Registered: 2003-07-07

Posts: 21

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

Actually, this is the closest Mars has ever been in all of recorded human history. A century ago it was really close too.

dickbill

Member

Registered: 2002-09-28

Posts: 749

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

Me too.

It sure is exciting, no? I'm thinking about getting me a good telesope now, just for this ocassion.

what kind ? the apofluorites are good for planet observation but they cost an arm.

lucke

InActive

From: sweden

Registered: 2003-03-08

Posts: 6

Website

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

I will have a look at this magic planet. I think it?s telling us to come and visit. I think there is a good telescope in my town here in Sweden. I will contact them and see if I can have a look.

My Webpage

Josh Cryer

Moderator

Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

dickbill, if I decide to get an actual scope, it'll probably be a Dobsonian, you can read more about my desires here.

My brother is going to get me some 50mm binoculars for my birthday, though, so I'm not sure if I want to get a scope just yet!

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Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
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The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

dickbill

Member

Registered: 2002-09-28

Posts: 749

Re: Anyone else looking forward to August 27th?

if I decide to get an actual scope, it'll probably be a Dobsonian, you can read more about my desires here.

I also prefer to point stars from the constellation pattern or the coordinates, it's not so difficult if the telescope is properly pointed to the polar axis, in "equatorial" station.
I had an equatorial  4' newtonian, the basic 115/900 mm with a motor and I was able to take some fuzzy pictures of planets with the technique of "manual occultation". Basically you make the pose manually with a black paper in front of the telescope instead of using the camera occultor, to avoid vibrations. Mars is very difficult. It was too bright and very small on the film even at 200X so that itwas overexposed. But I could still record the polar cap. I think it was on a basic ecktachrome 200 ASA. I did better with jupiter which is much easyer.

I don't think dobsonian are so great for planet observation, but maybe their optical quality has improved over time and they are cheap. But now, even the apofluorite are affordable, relatively. Can you imagine that 6" apofluorite are available on the market ? that's professional stuff in term of quality.