Mars on a calm Lowestoft night

 

Mars on the 26th October 2020. 127mm Meade Apo Refractor, x3 Televue Barlow and QHY5-11 colour planetary camera, 15% stack of 2500 video frames captured over 2 minutes. Credit: Reggie Stax - Jodell Plank Observatory.

" Full credit to our student and assistant Reggie in taking advantage of the excellent stable atmosphere over the Jodrell Plank Observatory last night to capture some great videos of the planet Mars. I think this Mars image is the best we have managed to capture and process at the Observatory. The southern polar cap along with some associated cloud is clearly visible. Cloud is also apparent towards the western and northern limbs. Albedo features of interest are:

•  Acidalia Planitia close to the hazy Northern Polar hood.
• Arabia the large red area of sand in the north eastern quadrant
• Pandorae Fretum the dark area running across the equator
• Sinus Meridiani and Sinus Sabaeus the dark finger above Pandorae Fretum
• Noachis the dark crescent just above the southern polar cap
• Hellas the slightly less dark semi circular area to the west of Noachis

Hopefully we will get a few more clear and steady nights here on the east coast, before Mars moves further away from Earth on its elliptical orbit around the Sun" -  Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.