Mars 2003

Mars observations for the 2003 opposition. Photos and drawings of selected observations during the period surrounding the 2003 perhelic opposition of Mars. I admit to being a nineteenth century style astronomer and would much rather draw what I see through the eyepiece, with the occasional foray into photography. Actual direct planetary observation is, I feel, the essence of amateur astronomy. I find that the more I distance myself from the subject observed with cameras and electronics, the less of a satisfying experience from observing.

An email from Carlos Hernandez, Yahoo Mars Observers Group, ALPO Mars Recorder and longtime ALPO Mars Observer/contributor

Denis,

Thank you for joining the Yahoo marsobservers forum group. Your input will be greatly appreciated. I have reviewed your web site and found it to be impressive. You have put together an instrument that is perfect for your average seeing conditions. I am fortunate that we experience good to excellent seeing conditions down here in South Florida on a regular basis. This allows me to use an outstanding 9-inch F/13.5 Maksutov-Cassegrain (1/8th wave optics certified) upon a Losmandy G11 GEM. This instrument has provided me fantastic views of the planets as you may have noted on the forum. I agree with your philosophy that visual observation brings an observer closer to their subject. This is the main reason that I have resisted imaging the planets for some time. I find your Mars observations to be very accurate. Thank you for posting them. The best of luck and I look forward to your future observations.

Regards,

Carlos E. Hernandez

Composite drawings of Mars based on 2003 observations through a 12cm refractor over the opposition period. .

 

Observations:

Mars July 18, 2003 CM 100 degrees, Dia.=19.8", 0830 UT Argyre and S. polar cap bright, Mare Sirenum and Solis Lacus darkest 120mm refractor, 100x to 200x MV-1 filter and #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi IV, occasionally III. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars July 23, 2003 CM 78 degrees, Dia.=20.7", 10:00 UT, S. polar cap bright, Mare Eruthraeum and Solis Lacus darkest features, 120mm refractor, 100x to 200x MV-1 filter, right...#21 orange filter, middle...#80A blue filter. Seeing Antoniadi III. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars July 27, 2003 CM 34 degrees, Dia.=21.5", 0830 UT Chryse and S. polar cap bright, Aurorae Sinus and Margaritifer Sinus darkest, 120mm refractor, 100x to 200x MV-1 filter and #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III, occasionally II. Indication of rift in polar cap. Area around polar cap very dark.

Right...#21 orange filter, middle...#80A blue filter. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars July 31, 2003 CM 336 degrees, Dia.=22", 0800 UT Hellas and S. polar cap bright, Sabeus Sinus and Margaritifer Sinus darkest, 120mm refractor, 100x to 200x MV-1 filter and #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi II. Indication of rift in polar cap. Area around polar cap very dark.

Right...#21 orange filter. Shown with simulation to the right.

Detail of Sabeus Sinus at 200x, #21 filter

Mars July 31, 2003 CM 336 degrees, Dia.=22", 0800 UT Hellas and S. polar cap bright, Sabeus Sinus and Margaritifer Sinus darkest, 120mm refractor, MV-1 filter, eyepiece projection f/119, Fujicolor 800 1/4 second. Seeing Antoniadi II. Area around polar cap very dark.

Mars Aug 05, 2003 CM 276 degrees, Dia.=23", 0600 UT Hellas and S. polar cap bright, Mare Serpentis, Syrtis Major, and Mare Tyrrhenum very dark, 120mm refractor, 100x MV-1 filter and #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi V with clouds. Area around polar cap very dark.

Right...#21 orange filter.

Mars August 14, 2003 CM 133 degrees, Dia.=24", 0630 UT, Hellas, Libya and S. polar cap brightest features, Mare Tyrrhenum and Mare Sirenum darkest, 120mm refractor, 100x to 166x MV-1 filter and #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi IV, occasionally III. Indication of rift in polar cap. Area around polar cap very dark.

Left...#21 orange filter. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Aug 24, 2003 CM 114 degrees, Dia.=25", 07:30 UT, S. polar cap has noticeably shrunk over last 2 weeks, Mare Erythraeum, Mare Sirenum, and Solis Lacus darkest features, Some streaky detail was visible in orange light in the Propontis/Olympica region, as well as some white streaks in blue light. 120mm refractor, 100x to 166x MV-1 filter, Left...#21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III with intermittent cloud. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Sep 03, 2003 CM 349 degrees, Dia=24.8", 05:00 UT, S. polar cap has noticeably shrunk even more over the last week, Mare Erythraeum darkest feature, Hellas, Argyre and Moab regions bright in blue and orange filters. 120mm refractor, 100x to 166x MV-1 filter, Left...#21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III, occasionally II with much high cloud and haze. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Sep 6, 2003 CM 315 degrees, Dia.=24.5", 0445 UT, Mare Serpentis and Mare Tyrrhenum Lacus darkest features, Hellas showing a sharply defined border towards the centre of the disk, Libya very bright in blue light. 120mm refractor, 100x to 166x MV-1 filter, Left...#21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III-IV with smoke. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Sep 21, 2003 CM 150 degrees, Dia.=22.3", 0300 UT, Mare Sirenum and Aonius Sinus darkest features, Mare Chronium showing complex mottled appearance, Propontis-Nix Olympica very bright in blue light. Solis Lacus hidden in limb haze, South Polar cap is very noticeably smaller than previous observation. 120mm refractor, 100x to 166x MV-1 filter, #21 orange, #80A blue filters. Seeing Antoniadi III-IV with intermittant cloud and haze. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Sep 29, 2003 CM 75 degrees, Dia.=20.8", 0250 UT, Solis Lacus and Aurorae Sinus darkest features, Chryse very bright in blue light, a really good sharp view of the 'Eye of Mars'...Solis Lacus region. 120mm refractor, 100x, 166x, and 200X MV-1 filter, Left...#21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi II-III, second best Mars night this year. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Sept 29, 2003 CM 75 degrees, Dia.=20.8", 0500 UT S. polar cap bright, Solis Lacus and Mare Erythraeum darkest, 120mm refractor, MV-1 filter, eyepiece projection f/119, Fujicolor 400 1/2 second. Seeing Antoniadi II. Area around polar cap very dark.

Mars Sept 30, 2003 CM 98 degrees, Dia.=20.6", 0500 UT S. polar cap bright, Solis Lacus and Mare Erythraeum darkest, 120mm refractor, MV-1 filter, eyepiece projection f/119, Fujicolor 400 1/2 second. Seeing Antoniadi II. (4/5)

Mars Oct 03, 2003 CM 41 degrees, Dia.=20", 0300 UT,120mm refractor, MV-1 filter, eyepiece projection f/214, Fujicolor 800 1/2 second. Seeing Antoniadi III. (4/5)

Mars Oct 04, 2003 CM 45 degrees, Dia.=20.3", 0315 UT, Margaritifer and Aurorae Sinus darkest features, Chryse very bright in blue light, Mare Erythraeum showing a complex, mottled appearance, occasional sharp detail on border with Chryse Planitia. 120mm refractor, 100x, 166x, and 200X MV-1 filter, Left...#21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi II-III, 4/5. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Oct 20, 2003 CM 240 degrees, Dia.=16.9", 0210 UT, Mare Tyrrhenum and Mare Cimmerium/Mare Sirenum darkest features, Chryse very bright in blue light, Sunrise over Hellas and Syrtis Major. Electris bright and very well defined. 120mm refractor, 100x, 166x, and 200X MV-1 filter, Left...#21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi II-III, 4/5. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Oct 20, 2003 CM 245 degrees, Dia.=16.9", 0300 UT, Mare Cimmerium dark feature. 120mm refractor, MV-1 filter, eyepiece projection f/214, Fujicolor 800 1/2 second. Seeing Antoniadi III. (4/5)

Mars Oct 24, 2003 CM 200 degrees, Dia.=16.25", 0200 UT, Mare Cimmerium/Mare Sirenum darkest features, Aeolis very bright in blue light, . 120mm refractor, 100x, 166X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi IV-III, 3/5. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars November 8, 2003 CM 58 degrees, Dia.=13.8", 0255 UT, Mare Erythraeum and Sinus Meridiani darkest features, Argyre very bright in blue light, bright area noted over Xanthe. Even though size is much smaller than at opposition, detail remains sharp and clear at 200X, 120mm refractor, 100X to 200X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III - II, 1" of arc seeing. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Nov 18, 2003, CM 315 degrees, Dia.=12.3", 0215 UT, Sabaeus Sinus/Syrtis Major darkest features, Hellas subdued comapered to earlier in apparition. 120mm refractor, 166x, 200X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi IV-III, 3/5 with stratus cloud. Shown with simulation to the right, probably the last observation for this opposition period.

Mars November 25, 2003, 0215 UT, CM 357 degrees, Dia.=11.6", Mare Tyrrhenum and Mare Cimmerium darkest features, Hellas and Eridania bright in blue light, detail occasionally very sharp. 120mm refractor, 100X to 200X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III, 1-2" of arc seeing. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars December 1, 2003, 0215 UT, CM 202 degrees, Dia.=11", Mare Sirenum and Mare Cimmerium darkest features, Elysium and Eridania bright in blue light, detail occasionally very sharp. 120mm refractor, 100X to 200X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III - II, 1-2" of arc seeing. North is up. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars Dec 01, 2003 CM 206 degrees, Dia.=11",120mm refractor, MV-1 filter, eyepiece projection f/120, Fujicolor 800 1/2 second.

Mars December 16, 2003, 0100 UT, CM 34 degrees, Dia.=9.6", Mare Erythraeum, Sabeus Sinus darkest features, Argyre and Xanthe bright in yellow light, yellow obscuration noted in Mare Erythraeum and Niliacus completly obsured. 120mm refractor, 100X to 200X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III - II, 1-2" of arc seeing. North is up. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars December 22, 2003, 0115 UT, CM 330 degrees, Dia.=9", Mare Serpentis and Mare Sabeus Sinus darkest features, Hellas very bright in blue light. 120mm refractor, 200X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III, 2" of arc seeing. Shown with simulation to the right.

Mars December 22, 2003 CM 330 degrees, Dia.=9", 0130 UT S. polar cap bright, 120mm refractor, MV-1 filter, eyepiece projection f/119, Fujicolor 800 1/2 second. Seeing Antoniadi III.

Mars January 12, 2004, 0235 UT, CM 153 degrees, Dia.=7.7", Mare Sirenum and Solis Lacus darkest features. 120mm refractor, 250X MV-1 filter, #21 orange filter. Seeing Antoniadi III, 2" of arc seeing. Shown with simulation to the right.