The Dutch Observatory

The last non-cloudy day for another few days, so here an image of Mars with relative bad seeing.  Transparency was average to a little over average.  Since the image was relative poor, this image has been enlarged 1.5x instead of the 2x original image.  The ice in the South Pole impressions is pretty good visible in this image and Niliacus Lacus is shows very wide in the center if the image with extentions into Achilis Fons and Lunae Lacus.

Did some imaging before my wife and I set off to do some early Christmas shopping.  Walmart had some fantstic deals!  We are making progress!  Today was the first time I did not have to use my 12V hairdryer to keep the corrector plate from dewing up.  The transparency was great, but the seeing was pretty bad.  Here Mars showing CM26.  It looks like some polar haze is extending from Mare Acidalium.

Opportunities to image ISS passes have been limited this year.  Between the bad weather and the visibility during good weather did not leave many opportunities.  I remember 2 passes accross the sun where the clouds moved in the last minute making it a non-event.  This week we have had seveal opportunities The 25th, the pass of the ISS and shuttle duo from here was too low and went through the trees behind the house.  The 26th was a good pass and I gave it a shot again to image.  I thought I had the right exposure time and filterwheel, but unfortunately my notes from last year were not conclusive enough.  Never the less, I am learning again!   Here an animated image of the pass over the Dutch Observatory on Thanksgiving day. You can see the ISS getting bigger as it comes closer, and some additional features become visible. You might have to click the image to start the animation.  Check out the movie of last year’s capture also.

Mars on Thanksgiving day 2009!  The seeing was not good and I ended up with some soft images.  Could not bring out more contrast without the images ringing.  It looks like there might be some dust in Xanthe?  For the rest the image is too soft to make out specific items other than the general albedo regions.

Another image of Mars before the weather turns again.  In fact, a number of thin, high level clouds moved through  during this session.  This was the best image of the 4.  Someone corrects me if I am wrong, but I believe to see clouds  over Arcadia, Olymous Mons, and Tharsis.  Don’t know if the light spots (green) North of Solice Lacus are just albedo or anything else.

A clear night again after 3 days of rain and clouds.  There is nothing special to see at this “blank” side of Mars, except the destinct NPC.

Mars on November 16th.  Clouds can be seen over Mons Olympus, Tharsis and Phoenicis Lacus. Probably the last image for a couple of days.  The clouds are coming again! 

Saturday morning was nice and crisp and wide thin and high cloud bands, but very humid which kept me busy between runs to keep my corrector plate from dewing up.  I managed one OK image during the 1 1/2 session.  Some indications of clouds can be seen over Olympus Mons and Tharsis or Arsia Silva.

Tonight was another opportunity for a mutual event with the moons Ganymede and Io.  Ganymede would occult Io starting at 22:20 UT and complete the occultation at 22:46 UT.  Both moons were travelling in the same direction.  In addition, the images taken see a moon shadow beginning a transit of Jupiter around 22:59 UT   and another shadow leaving the disk at approx. 22:55.  The problem was that local sunset was at 22:32 UT.  So I would need to start imaging before the sun had set.  I used my binoculars to locate Jupiter, but it took me until a few minutes into the event to get things positioned right.  In addition, I had a problem with WinJupos showing the graphical info for this specific date, so I checked Sky and Telescope, but they showed Ganymede’s shadow start crossing the disk at 23:02  and Io’s shadow leaving the disk at 23:06.  So I am confused.  Sorry for the everexposure of Jupiter, and not being able to calibrate this better because of the light conditions when I started.  Here the result of this ”early” event. 

Jim Soboleski called me to take a look at his SBIG camera. However, I wanted again take the opportunity to image Jupiter first.  Here Jupiter on the evening of November 8th.