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Hi David,
The south polar cap is now too small to see, but the north polar hood is becoming prominent. There is currently a large regional dust storm underway (although it might be receding) so you’ll find features like Solis Lacus a bit more challenging to see at the moment.
Cheers
-PaulTwo drawings I made on the 1st – 2nd October in average seeing. The western end of the dust storm can be seen with dust in Argyre, Erythraeum, Solis Lacus, Ophir and Candor.
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I got a reasonable view of the western end of the dust storm last night. It is interesting that Argyre I and Campi Phlegraei were very bright and the whole region looked like a pseudo SPC. Evidence of dust can be seen in Eyrthraeum and Solis Lacus. It will be interesting to watch how the storm evolves and changes the albedo features. UK observes can examine the regions effected over the next few weeks.
Cheers,
-PaulHi James,
I write to Alan regularly and have done so for very many years! I would like to buy a copy of the book.
Cheers,
-PaulVery interesting- thanks Gary! I’ll take a look if ever we get a clear sky! Tuesday is looking promising.
Cheers,
-PaulJust had a look at the area- I identified the stellar field quite quickly from the AAVSO chart. I couldn’t see the nova with my 12” Newtonian, although skies here are a little hazy now.
Absolutely the worst year I can remember for clear nights (and indeed useable clear nights). I honestly cannot recall a year with so few useable nights. A rough count gives me just 49 clear nights for the whole year. I am hopeful that 2022 will be an improvement!
They are interesting objects, a number of colleagues in my own department study them and due to their low mass, one can loook for low mass extra solar planets in orbit around them.
It looks like we may FINALLY get some clear skies here tonight- looking forward to making a magnitude estimate of it!
Observed the nova last night, I made it about 9.4. I also noted a strong reddish colour- possibly the reddest nova I’ve ever observed!
There’s been some splendid papers on time travel- all of which demonstrate some truly creative misunderstandings of general relativity!
Well I’ve printed off the comparison chart, and I have the RA and Dec ready to go- just need a clear sky tonight!
Interesting post Jeremy! Well observationally it was very good for me. We had a splendid Venus elongation and I got over 60 drawings (and the Section elongation report is waiting a slot in the Journal!) Comet Neowise was a joy, quite wonderful to see that visually in the skies with the naked eye. I have now 102 drawings of Mars- the spring months were exceptionally clear and although we’ve had a lot of cloud and rain in October and November, when it was clear the seeing has been excellent.
Finally there have been my variables I have been following- SS Cygni as you know has been behaving very strangely. Now we have the nova in Perseus which I have been following. Two days ago I got a drawing of Einstein crater on the western limb of the Moon- my first view of the formation. So all in, as I’ve been at home more I’ve done a lot more observing this year! I feel I have done much more astronomy than I would normally do and the 12” Newtonian which I got last year for my 40th birthday has greatly extended what I can do!
Let us hope for a healthier 2021 and I’m sure we all look forward to going to live BAA events again and having a drink in the pub afterwards!
Best wishes,
-Paul
Yes I saw them on Sunday. At their highest they were brighter than Regulus and around the same magnitude as Pollux, so that gives a magnitude of about +1.1. Very bright!
I’ll make an observation of it when I next get a clear sky. I can use my 10×50 finder to observe it.
Paul
Hi Phill,
I intend to write a report for the journal covering observations made of the transit- I can collate them into a series of images so if people could email me their observations (along with their locations) I will include them in the report. Thanks to those of you who have sent me their work already- I’m pleased so many people were able to get an observation given then conditions!
Regard,
-Paul
