26 March, 2025, Mars and an almost major oops!

This was my first opportunity to get out and observe for a month. Weather has not been very cooperative!

The sky started out with some high, thin clouds. It seems like there was a lot of haze/humidity in the air, lights in the area showing definite halos. For some reason there wasn't any dew yet though. I started setting up at dusk, and made my first observation about 21:00 MDT. I did a solar system alignment using Jupiter, then observed that using 17mm Plossl (119.5x) and 13mm Plossl (156.3x) eyepieces.Seeing was much better than last time out, but at 156x it was hard to maintain focus. I would estimate seeing as Antoniadi 3.

The North and South  Equatorial Bands were easily visible as distinct very light brownish bands. There were occasional hints of the South polar Band. 

Since seeing was decent, I wanted to make another try at Mars. It is rapidly diminishing after opposition, which was not a real great one. Again used the 17 and 13 mm eyepieces. the view through the 17mm was actually steadier an provided more contrast. The palnet appeared as a small disk with little color. I couldn't see the polar caps, but got occasional glimpses of the larger dark areas on the surface. there was some wavering in the image.

 

I had my first almost major accident with the 'scope. I felt it was a little looser than it should be in the clamp on the mount. I reached under the telescope to tighten the clamp, and the 'scope fell out of the mount! Apparently I had set the telescope in the clamp a little out of alignment, and when I tightened it it forced the dovetail out of the clamp. Luckily, it landed on the grass nose down on the dew shield, which seems to have acted at least a little as a shock absorber. There was no obvious damage, and the 'scope seems to be functioning normally. I'll need to check collimation when I can get a clear night with bright stars.

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