Dear all,
It’s my biggest pleasure to share with you a special image indeed which is the first from me on 2010, the first of Mars and the first of my new telescope!
In fact, I had the longest ever spell of poor weather I can remember, but after 106 days I could finally break my inaction in a some way.
The special telescope I’ve built for myself only is a genuine Cassegrain 400mm with the usual Gladius-like design, but much bigger in size and weight. It also features a f/4 imaging solution at the parabolic primary’s focus by replacing the secondary mirror for deep sky imaging.
This telescope was named Gladius XVI (16, in roman letters) because this is the “key number” (16″ f/16) with it and the optical set has been manufactured by italian optician Luigi Marcon, my trusty supplier with glass!
Visually speaking, Mars is a boring beacon whose light is hard to tame without filters. I could even perceive in some steady moment the elusive Deimos moon when this was far away enough from the planet!
On Jan. 23 eve, I could finally fit my camera there and catch the Mars light for the first time!
Although conditions were all but great, these were enough to take an image.
Find it in my blog webpage:

MARS JAN. 23, 2010

Colors are very close to those I noticed at the eyepiece, but not the contrast which was quite enhanced through the image.
It looks to me Mars this year is showing some weaker albedo variations than last years. I’m not sure if it’s me or the seeing or what else…
I’d like to know your visual impressions.
Let’s hope I could have some steady night soon or later to enjoy the new beast here with me.
Your comments are welcome!
All the best.

Hi all,

On Dec. 28th I met my friend Nicola and we had a session on Mars with
his own Orion 250mm newtonian featuring optics which left something to
be desired.

Seeing mainly poor with a fair window lasted enough to grab the 3 RGB
streams. The small image scale allowed a fast exposure (1/30th sec.) and
a low noise (less than 10dB) to better freeze the turbulence. The Iris
drizzle (2X) worked beatifully indeed! I didn’t expect such a result!

But as always happens, the boring side is facing me whenever I grab Mars
under acceptable conditions. So, the B image is much more interesting
than R, you can see there the 3 lined up orographic clouds over
vulcanoes and the isolated Olympus cloud on the right.
Also, notice the completely dissolved NPH making the thiny NP with its
dark collar popping up nicely.

Sorry, not yet translated, please read the Italian version! That’s the picture, though:

Hi all,

After 15 very poor nights, I could finally have a new challenge vs. the
God of the War.
A fair seeing together with a good transparency all together (a rare
occurrance here) allowed me to match colors as noticed to the eyepiece.
Please, notice how many hues are depicted there: from the yellowish
airborne dust over Hellas up to the gloomy red of Aetheria. I’m fully
satisfied with this color rendition.

The bright arc running aside on the left of Nodus Alcyonis is odd
indeed. It looks like dust because also visible in the G image. I tend
to exclude an artifact because the contrast there isn’t that huge
(expecially in the G image) and the more contrasted Sinus Gomer falls in
the red flat Aethiopis mare with no similar artifact.
The dark patch in the NPH close to the morning limb I suspect it’s an
artifact.

Hi all,

Eons were passed since the last time I could have some acceptable
stability here.
On this morning I could break my deep sky activity to give Mars the very
first try since 2005!
Despite its huge altitude, here it looks like a maddening bean!

Notice the conspicuos NPH with a darkening/weakening over the polar cap.
Nu dust activity noted on this longitude.

Hope I could have…more to follow.

P.S. As a courious coincidence, hunting has opened here on the same day!