Probably is. As I'm finding it interesting to speculate on it effects on gravity and such. So it 'knows' it's making a terran happy - so it'll go into hiding from us!

 

I read a possible explanation of the dustbowl somewhere, but I didn't understand it. lol

 

I know what caused the one on Earth in the 1930's. As for Mars - that's the gravitational-flux theory I've been talking (babbling) about - that nobody can understand. YET!

 

I don't know, I'm an arts graduate.



https://www.teleskop-express.de/sho...teilig---fuer-Beobachtung-und-Fotografie.html

Even TS are getting in on the Mars fever. I'd buy these if I didn't already own them all lol.

 

Even TS are getting in on the Mars fever. I'd buy these if I didn't already own them all lol.

Lol

 

I'm not kidding!

 

UCF Filter provides a general contrast enhancement on Mars and also allows observing events in the Martian atmosphere with appropriate telescopes

UCF is it a Magenta filter?

 

No, I have 1.25" and 2" versions of these. It's basically a good quality contrast filter, not unlike any 'light pollution' or 'skyglow' filter.

First row, on the right below:



2" version:

 

Beautiful collection of blue filters

Do they have a metallic coating on them or they are like a simple color filter?

 

I think they probably have a basic coating (anti-reflection my guess).They're all basic moon and skyglow filters.

 

Around 21:30 BST I decided to take a chance on Venus, Jupiter and Saturn with the 90mm Orion Mak. The weather did strangely clear in the south, after all day cloud, and enabled a window of opportunity for my super light grab’n’go rig.



I can carry both of these together, the dew shield in the tripod bag.



Any accessories that won’t go in the cases can be carried in the large pockets of my cargo trousers.



So this is the fastest rig I can set up, with only one trip to carry everything. Venus was very low (virtually extinction), just over a fortnight before dichotomy, but was just a large ‘boiling’ mass at 138x (9mm Bresser 60° Plossl). I could make out the phase, just about. I had the AZ5 tripod extended as high as it would go and stood while I observed it.



The seeing (A~II) with Jupiter was much better at 89x (14mm Bresser 60° Plossl) and responded well to an 82A filter. I even pushed to 125x (10mm Orion Sirius Plossl) at times. The transparency wouldn’t allow me any higher magnifications unfortunately. The 90mm Mak is quite capable of high magnifications on these targets in good conditions.



Eventually the clouds relinquished Saturn after teasing me for a while. I observed until transit (22:54) and got to try several filters (TS Optics/GSO), mainly at 89x and 125x.



#8 Light Yellow: Worked nicely, showing a hint of surface features and easily highlighting the Cassini Division and orange and red belt detail.

#11 Yellow Green : Seemed a little intense at 89x but definitely improves virtually every feature. Worked very well at 125x at transit.

#12 Deep Yellow: Excellent contrast making the Cassini Division almost jump out at you.

#15 Dark Yellow: Slightly overbearing colour, but really improved contrast with a very sharp definition. Lower transmission helped with Saturn being a bit bright at 89x.

#21 Orange: Not totally unlike the #15 but possibly a bit overbearing with only a 46% transmission.

#80A Medium Blue: Helped with some ring detail and polar features.

#82A Light Blue: Seemed to ‘cool’ the image somewhat, accentuate polar features and helped with yellow and orange features.

 

Great report @Mak the Night, I like color filters tests like that. Here is the same kind of funny weather.. forecast of storms and there is a clear sky at night... like tonight, it will be a surprise at 21:30..

Carrying all of your stuff in 1 trip, awesome!

I decided for my next observation, I'll try the yellow filters again, 11, 12 and the new 15 has well has the 80a and 82a, and perhaps even the mars filter for luck.. Magenta color, I bet it's good on Venus.

Thanks for these interesting observations with the Mak, it's very motivating.

 

Another great report, Mak. The filter reports have even more meaning for me now, lol. Well, it's my turn for cloud (for at least the better part of this week the forecasters say), so I can enjoy reading reports like this and Nebula's Den until the sky clears again Nice rig, buddy!

 

You're welcome Neb. I've been using the #11 on Saturn for so long I forgot there were other filters lol. Apparently a #30 Light Magenta filter is good for revealing detail on the rings, it only has a 27% transmission though, so you'll need at least 15cm of aperture probably. The 90mm Mak is nice and portable but it isn't really good for anything other than lunar/planetary observing. Being able to carry everything in one go does help me a lot. It's particularly useful if the observing window of opportunity isn't too big. I was impressed with being able to set up so easily with the 90mm Mak, the only disadvantage is there is at least a 20 minute cool down.



I'm working on a way to do the same with my 102mm Mak.



So I've ordered this case for Mak's from Germany. It should easily carry the 102mm and accessories.

 

Thanks Reggie. The highly portable 90mm Mak/AZ5 rig is fast to set up and I tend to favour it for twilight lunar/planetary observing, primarily because the TS Optics reflex sight works so well in daylight/twilight as opposed to the Rigel on my 102mm Mak.



I've also modified this Orion Amici diagonal with a helical for finer focus.



I need to use more filters on Saturn lol. I was surprised that the blue filters worked so well. I was also a bit surprised by how bright Saturn is at 89x with the 90mm Mak.



This five element 60° 14mm Bresser 'Plossl' gives a more or less perfect 1mm exit pupil on the 90mm Mak. It's often stated that a 1mm exit pupil is the ideal size for planetary observing. Of course, 89x isn't really enough to see detail well, but in good conditions I can get around an 0.6mm exit pupil on the 90mm Mak.



The weather's definitely cooler here (at the moment) but if I'm very lucky Little Mak and myself may get out later lol.

 

I need to use more filters on Saturn lol. I was surprised that the blue filters worked so well. I was also a bit surprised by how bright Saturn is at 89x with the 90mm Mak.

I noticed that my blue filters are good all rounders with the planets, the 80a, 82a and even the 38a, at a lesser extent, but still one of my current favorite. The very useful blue family of filters.

Hey where is @Dave In Vermont ?

 

I like the effect of the #82A; it has a subtle, "cooling" effect as well as the ability to highlight low contrast features. I particularly like it on Jupiter. I'm missing @Dave In Vermont , too! He should be in on this conversation

 

Yes it has an interesting effect the 82a, subtle, yet, effective. certainly on Jupiter. Although I had more impressive results with the 80a (black sheep has always)

Far more tests required for these 2 anyways to really appreciate them individually.

 

This is because you're using a 200mm reflector.

 

Had a lunar/Mars session with the Orion 90mm Mak/AZ5 rig. I caught the Moon rising early but switched to Mars while I had a window of opportunity. I used two magnifications: 167x and 208x (7.5mm Orion Sirius Plossl, 6mm Celestron Omni Plossl) as there's no point in going lower with Mars. Seeing was a good A~II although the transparency could have been better.



Filters were deployed in this order: Orion Mars, Celestron Mars, #82A, #12, #11 and #8.




The dark areas of Acidalia Planitia, Chryse Planitia and particularly the dark equatorial surface features on the above and below screenshots (Celestron SkyPortal, Virtual Planet Atlas) were regularly glimpsed thorough the dust.



When I was using the #82A Light Blue a small bright albedo feature could be viewed, basically exactly where the southern polar cap is situated.



Later I could see it with all of the filters. The #8 seemed to give the overall most natural looking image for some reason. Although the 'cap' was highlighted more distinctly by the #82A, #12 and Orion Mars filters. If what I could see was the southern polar cap I think that's pretty good with a 90mm Mak!



Unless I was just seeing the Parva Planum area near the cap itself. It will be worth looking at this region with a bigger aperture. The poles aren't big and what I saw was bright, in exactly the right place, and exactly the right shape as far as I could tell with a 90mm Mak.



The sharpest I could get on the Moon was 125x and 138x (10mm Orion Sirius Plossl, 9mm Bresser Plossl).



Highlights were the Sea of Nectar and Posidonius (images from Virtual Moon Atlas).