FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Re: Mars Polar Cap ( detached chunk) and Saturn is back

[Joe Larkin <joeclarkin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Sounds like we had the exact same view last night.

This is (I think) a feature called "the mountains of Mitchell". I
also has a latin name, maybe something like Novas Mons. 

It has been discussed quite a bit on the marsobservers yahoo mailing
group (groups.yahoo.com). It appeared completely seperated to me.
Here's a picture
(http://www.arksky.org/cgi-bin/asoimglog.pl?selobject=Mars&selmonthb=9&seldayb=4&selyearb=2003&selmonthe=9&seldaye=5&selyeare=2003).
I hope the long link works in email. If not, go to www.arksky.org and
look at recent pictures (try September 1-6) under the Planetary
Patrol link.

I also spotted Deimos about the same time as you did. With my
undriven 10" dob, I used up to 320x to observe Mars. But I spotted
Deimos and the chunk off the SPC at 230x to start with. No filter or
a blue filter showed the SPC chunk better than a red filter, though
it was visible even in a #25 red filter. 

I saw great detail on the surface, and some limb clouds with a #80a
blue filter. 


--- William R Wood <wmrwood@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Finally had a clear (for awhile anyway) night last night and looked
> at Mars
> in the 10" D-K Cassegrain.  Seeing was 5/10 and I was able to use
> up to
> 400x.  I saw, to my surprise, what appeared to be a chunk of the S
> polar cap
> that was mostly, if not completely, detached from the main area of
> the cap.


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