ETX-105 Astrophotography
 Image Gallery Index
The 2003 opposition of Mars.
Pictures spanning from August 1 to December 7, 2003.
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Mars Mars

First Mars picture with MI-1300 camera and Registax software. Great detail. The dark feature in the center is Sinus Meridiani.
Apparent size: 22.4 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/136 in Registax, Enhance detail
August 1, 2003 2:06am PDT
Mars - Syrtis Major
 Mars

You can see that Mars is slightly larger than Aug. 1. The prominent dark feature in the center is Syrtis Major. The pale pink oval below it is Hellas Basin, the lowest spot on Mars, and possibly an enormous impact crater.
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/191 in Registax, Enhance detail
August 9, 2003 2:44am PDT
Mars
 Mars

An hour and a half later that same night. Sinus Meridiani is coming into view at the left.
Apparent size: 23.7 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/259 in Registax, Enhance detail
August 9, 2003 4:19am PDT
Mars - Mare Cimmerium
 Mars

Clear shot of Mare Cimmerium.
Apparent size: 24.6 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/208 in Registax, Enhance detail
August 17, 2003 3:13am PDT
Mars - Amazonis Planitia
 Mars

Other side of Mars now, with fewer dark areas. Amazonis Planitia and Mare Sirenum. Olympus Mons is barely visible as a small pale patch near the upper right edge, just past the 1 o'clock position.
Apparent size: 25.0 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/228 in Registax, Enhance detail
August 22, 2003 2:21am PDT
Mars
 Mars

Tharsis, Solis Lacus, Mare Erythraeum.
Apparent size: 25.0 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/241 in Registax, Enhance detail
August 23, 2003 11:58pm PDT
Mars at Opposition
 Mars at Opposition

Thirteen minutes before closest approach. (Seeing got suddenly bad at The Moment.) Amazonis, Tharsis, Mare Sirenum, Solis Lacus.
Apparent size: 25.1 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/203 in Registax, Enhance detail
August 27, 2003 2:39am PDT
Mars
 Mars

Niliacus Lacus, Chryse Planitia, Mare Erythraeum, Sinus Meridiani.
Apparent size:  24.6 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite/114 in Registax, Enhance detail
September 6, 2003 1:58am PDT
Mars
 Mars

Syrtis Major, Hellas Basin, Mare Cimmerium.
Apparent size: 23.8 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
September 13, 2003 10:44pm PDT
Mars
 Mars

Amazonis Planitia and Mare Sirenum showing. The apparent diameter is visibly smaller.
Apparent size: 22.7 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
September 20, 2003 10:28pm PDT
Mars - Solis Lacus Mars

Solis Lacus dead center. This feature is also known as the Eye of Mars.
Apparent size: 21.2 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
September 28, 2003 8:33pm PDT
Mars
 Mars

Solis Lacus.
Apparent size: 19.8 arsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
October 5, 2003 11:59pm PDT
Mars
 Mars

Sinus Meridiani.
Apparent size: 17.9 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
October 15, 2003 12:37am PDT
Mars
 Mars

Mare Sirenum.
Apparent size: 14.9 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
November 1, 2003 8:17pm PST
Mars
 Mars

Mare Sirenum.
Apparent size: 10.3 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor, IR block filter
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
December 7, 2003 8:05pm PST
Mars
 Mars

Apparent size: 5.3 arcsec
Telescope: Meade ETX-105 EC at f/35
Camera: MI-1300 CMOS sensor, IR block filter
Image Processing: Composite in Registax, Enhance detail
March 14, 2004 6:52pm PST

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