Mars. My own OT topic!

[old jong]

...Planet of warriors (Kung Fu warriors included) is at his nearest since the times of the first grapplers...The nehanderthals!...I just took a peak at it in my 8 inches reflector telescope at about 450x and it looked as big as the full moon when seen with the bare eyes. The south polar cap is clearly in view.

Take a look at mid sky in the south east to see it as a very bright star.It will be higher in a souther latitude and later in the western regions.

Aussies...I know it's daytimes where you are! so wait a little bit.

;)

[PHILBERT]

I dont have a telescope :(

I ran outside to look. I saw trees, 3 stars, no moon and a car coming towards me in the road. One of those stars was bright though, but it was right above my head. Stupid pollution. I haven't seen the stars in years :(

[old jong]

It should be seen as a small redish disk in 10/50 binoculars.

[PHILBERT]

All I see is blue, and I don't have binoculars either. :(

[old jong]

Don't worry,it will shine high over texas in a few hours!...(All I see is blue!....:rolleyes: ) ;) ;) :D
You have some times to find a pair.

[Felipe Bido]

It looks awesome

[PHILBERT]

old jong, no I really do not own a pair, and I'm not gonna run out and buy a pair at 11:15 pm on a Friday night to see mars. As much as I'd love to see it, I just can't because I don't have anything to see it with.

And I'd have to pass by the porno shop on my way to the nearest place that sells them and end up spending all my money on porn.

[Chang Style Novice]

More mars viewing info (http://www.space.com/spacewatch/mars_preview_021108.html)

[IronFist]

I saw it with my naked eye, and with some 10X binoculars, but it wasn't nearly as big as the much bigger almost full moon right next to it the other night.

Seriously, the moon was right next to it. Like a few inches away (from my perspective, obviously it's not a few inches away in space, though).

You can see why they call it the red planet.

IronFist

[IronFist]

Mars kicks ass. Here's a picture.

Linky with a long URL (http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?pic=mars_hubble_030107_02.jpg&cap=NASA's%20Hubble%20Space%20Telescope%20took%20t his%20picture%20of%20Mars%20during%20an%20oppositi on%20on%20June%2026,%202001,%20when%20Mars%20was%2 0approximately%2043%20million%20miles%20(68%20mill ion%20km)%20from%20Earth.). <--- that url is over 5 lines long in the posting window.

"Water Ice clouds"???? Does that mean they might have water? Or, um, life?

There's also some animations here (http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars_orbit_030121-1.html) but my modem is still downloading them.

IronFist

[old jong]

Originally posted by IronFist
I saw it with my naked eye, and with some 10X binoculars, but it wasn't nearly as big as the much bigger almost full moon right next to it the other night.

Seriously, the moon was right next to it. Like a few inches away (from my perspective, obviously it's not a few inches away in space, though).

You can see why they call it the red planet.

IronFist

You will see it as a small disk in binoculars. You need a telescope to see it bigger and pick up the south polar ice cap. I can see that at 84x without trouble but at 450x it is a show!...:cool:

[TonyM.]

Close as it's been in 60 thousand years. Shows up well in Vermont with the naked eye. Little light pollution here.

[old jong]

I hate light pollution!...:mad: But, it is not a big factor when watching planets. They can be seen very well even in the center of big cities. Jupiter,Venus,Mars and even Saturn are all bright enough for this.

The problem is with galaxies and nebulaes. You need a fairly dark sky to enjoy these objects.

[neigung]

Supposedly, Mars will be the same size as the full Moon around the 27th with 10x binoculars.
Have you ever seen Uranus?

[chen zhen]

D'OOOH
cliché big time..;)

[old jong]

Originally posted by neigung
Supposedly, Mars will be the same size as the full Moon around the 27th with 10x binoculars.
Have you ever seen Uranus?
:rolleyes: Maybe they should change that poor planet's name!....

[old jong]

But....I have seen Uranus. Not easy to find. The best I could resolve was a small greenish disk maybe a millimeter wide (a few arc seconds) or like that (@)! Not a big show!. Neptune (have'nt seen it yet) would be half that size and Pluton just a dot.

[Chang Style Novice]

According to Futurama, in the 31st century they've renamed Uranus to avoid stupid potty humor. It's new name will be Urectum.

[old jong]

:D :D :D
Good one!...And it's new!...