Mars is looking good

At one point last night, I thought my secondary had dewed, but it was just a momentary thing. Rashad saw that I was looking at Mars and was going to call the press, until I told him with the dew on my diagonal it was the only thing bright enouh to cut through. It was a painful view. At that time, it was still relatively low and I didn't think the image was very good. Robert Perri put some window screen in front of my UTA, which gave a wonderful rainbow effect that was reminiscent of some parties I attended in the late 60's, but the diffraction effect did pick up more detail.

Later, about 3 a.m., when Mars appeared to be transiting, the view was much better, 3 distinct dark areas on the surface, a polar cap, but it was still much too bright for serious observing ;-) I again commented that I didn't really like the image... even though others swore that it was very good (some of the best views of Saturn I've ever had were during the ring crossing a few years back, though the 20 when Dean owned it)... but I reminded them that the views of Mars through Rich's 180 were much, much betta.

To bad those finderscopes cost so much....