Mars is shown here 11 days before its 2025 opposition with Earth.

This opposition cycle is a relatively distant approach to Earth with Mars
showing a small apparent disk size of only 14 arc-seconds.

Atmosopheric seeing conditions for this session were poor (4 out of 10) with
jet stream turbulence present overhead.

Same image of Mars with major surface features labeled.

• Surface Feature Information (courtesy of WikiPedia-click on links):
  Valles Marineris
  Daedalium Planum
  Olympus Mons
  Erebus Montes
  Mars Polar Ice Cap

• NASA Mars Information (click on links):
  Mars Main Webpage
  Mars Detailed NASA Info

Image Details:

• Instrument: Takahashi Mewlon M210 Dall-Kirkham OTA Cassegrain @ native focal length of 2415mm ( f/11.5)
• Image Amplifier:  None used, ZWO ADC Unit was used.  ADC tuning by FireCapture software.
• Mount: Rainbow Astro RST-300 in EQ Mode
• Camera: ZWO ASI715MC color video camera at 130 frames per second capture rate in ROI Mode  
• Image Scale:  0.12 arc-seconds/pixel
• Filters:  Baader IR/UV Cutoff Filter
• Exposure:  16-bit .Ser files, 3000 frames, shot @ 130 frames per second.  Best 70% of stack saved and processed (2100 frames used from stack).
• Software: FireCapture V.2.7.14 capture software, Auto-Stakkert V.4, Registax Wavelets Ver. 6, WinJupos v.12.1.13, PixInsight Post-Processing.
• PixInsight Processing Steps (listed in order):  Deconvolution, MLT, GreyCStoration, UnSharp Mask, ACDNR, HT, CT for color adjustments, Dynamic Crop, Resample
• Location: Little Rock, AR., El. 350ft
  Image Date:  04:57 UTC January 4th, 2025

Mars is shown here 10 days after its 2025 closest approach to Earth.  The
planet is receding rapidly from Earth at this point and shrinking rapidly in size. 

This opposition cycle is a relatively distant approach to Earth with Mars
showing a small apparent disk size of only 14 arc-seconds.

Atmosopheric seeing conditions for this session were poor (3 out of 10) with
jet stream turbulence present overhead.

Same image of Mars with major surface features labeled.

• Surface Feature Information (courtesy of WikiPedia-click on links):
  Utopia Planitia
  Amenthes Planum (info courtesy of Astronomy.com)
  Syrtis Major
  Hellas Planitia
  Schiaparelli Crater
  Acidalia Planitia
  Mars Polar Ice Cap

• NASA Mars Information (click on links):
  Mars Main Webpage
  Mars Detailed NASA Info

Image Details:

• Instrument: Takahashi Mewlon M210 Dall-Kirkham OTA Cassegrain @ native focal length of 2415mm ( f/11.5)
• Image Amplifier:  None used, ZWO ADC Unit was used.  ADC tuning by FireCapture software.  20% Size Enlargement (Resample) in PixInsight
• Mount: Rainbow Astro RST-150 mount in Alt-Azm Mode
• Camera: ZWO ASI715MC color video camera at 210 frames per second capture rate in 340 pixel frame width ROI Mode
• Image Scale:  0.10 arc-seconds/pixel after PixInsight Resample process
• Filters:  Baader IR/UV Cutoff Filter
• Exposure:  16-bit .Ser files, 4000 frames, shot @ 210  frames per second.  Best 15% of stack saved and processed (best 600 frames used from stack).
• Software: FireCapture V.2.7.14 capture software, Auto-Stakkert V.4, Registax Wavelets Ver. 6, WinJupos v.12.1.13, PixInsight Post-Processing.
• PixInsight Processing Steps (listed in order):  Deconvolution, MLT, GreyCStoration, UnSharp Mask, ACDNR, HT, CT for color adjustments, Dynamic Crop, Resample
• Location: Little Rock, AR., El. 350ft
  Image Date:  04:09 UTC January 25th, 2025