Observing Report
During Mars’ opposition I decided to try the observe Mars for about two weeks around opposition with my mounted 10X50 binoculars. The disc of Mars was plain to see and I was able to see some variations of color tone on Mars. The dust was brown but I was able to see small areas of darkness. On one night, I saw a white spot in the north which I think was the polar hood. On other evenings when the dust was less intense, I was able to see some red on Mars. The best thing I saw was a little white dot which seemed disconnected from the south pole of Mars and this was the Southern Ice Cap.
Michael Amato
Features
If you have not looked at the newsletter before, check out some of the regular features. There are four useful links in the menu at the top of this page:
Calendar This is a monthly calendar that includes all the scheduled events of ASNH, other regional events of interest, plus the dates and times of noteworthy events in the night sky.
SkyMap This page has a chart of the sky as it appears over the New Haven area at the present date and time. It is constantly updated, so you can go to this page on any clear night to see what is overhead.
Space Place Read the monthly article from Space Place.
Directions This page gives directions to all the locations where regular activities of ASNH take place, including the monthly meeting, public observing sessions, and the annual Connecticut Star Party.
Other regular features can be found within these pages:
Upcoming Public Events Many ASNH events are free and open to the public. These include the monthly meetings and public observing sessions at Young’s Pond Park in Branford and Silver Sands State Park in Milford. This section gives the dates, times, and descriptions of these events.
Upcoming Events for ASNH Members These events are for ASNH members only. Some are private observing nights, and others are outreach events where volunteers are needed with the telescopes and equipment.
Night Sky Highlights This section lists some objects to observe in the sky during the next few months, whether you are using just your eyes, a pair of binoculars, or a telescope.
Gallery This section features photographs of celestial targets taken by ASNH members and others. If you have a picture you want to share with us, please submit it to newsletter@asnh.org.