Mars at it full peak tonight August 27th!!!

Tips for Viewing Mars:

1. Aside from the Moon and Venus, Mars is the next brightest object in the sky. It will appear orange or reddish.

2. It can be easily viewed after 10PM in the southeastern sky or before dawn in the southern sky.

3. The planet will be so close that you can see its polar ice caps through a small telescope.

4. Mars will be 34.65 million miles away from Earth at its closest orbit on Aug. 27.

The last 3 days have been so hazy that all I see is a fuzzy smudge.It was great last week though,and tonight we're having thunderstorms....again.

A good friend has a great telescope,and we're hoping that in the next couple of days we'll get our chance..

The closest it was happened between 5 and 6 A.M. this morning. It was technically the 27th but not tonight. Still, it is supposed to hang around awhile longer, so maybe it will be almost as close tonight-tomorrow morning.

Here, it was completely cloudy and so no sky visible! Let's wait tonight. Eagerly.

I've been watching since the first of the month, and now we have a fire burning that's making the sky overcast a bit, but not so much that I shouldn't be able to see it through binoculars. But, I saw better shows earlier in the month. I'm a bit dissapointed, but I have a telescope on my wish list for Christmas. I'm bummed that I can't see this show and it most likely won't happen again in my lifetime. Oh well, what's next on the agenda to look at?

No clouds for months-tonight we are overcast :~(!

It wasn't spectacular here, either, but I didn't wait up for the predawn viewing.

ok, I went out, took the telescope and was ready to see this exciting thing. Well what a disappointment that was. All you could see was a round ball that glowed red. No distinctive features at all. I guess maybe it would have been a spectacular thing if we were at the Equator where one could see it in its glory or if we were out west where there's nothing around but here in the valley, it was just that, a ball that shone a bit red, even when viewed through a not too great telescope but a telescope nonetheless :(

Been looking and looking, but it still just looks like a fractured star to me. Red, yes, but not the stuff to make me lose sleep. I must not be very scientific.

I'm not seeing anything red or otherwise! I just got back in the house after looking again. I will keep trying though because I really really want to see Mars, darn it!!!!!!!
Meems

I've been having a fit about not being able to see anything spectacular too. I have DH's binoculars and the other night I came in and told him that his binoculars weren't any good. He said, "Dear, how far away do you think that planet it?" I said I didn't know for sure, but probably millions of miles, BUT, I could see into the neighbor's yard and it'a almost 1/2 mile away! You know what he did? He LAUGHED at me!!!

Just looks like a bright orange star to me.

Since the Mars talk and star gazing parties, I have become very interested in Astronomy.
Like I need another hobby!
Is anyone seriously involved in Astronomy at Dave's?
No offense to any-one.....
I'm about ready to join a local club. Going to be with members of the club this weekend. I'm checking out telescopes. A bit pricey for anything decent.
Any one out there with suggestions?
Sandy

I saw it one day last week while out doing some bat work. I wasnt really impressed but will look again with binoculars.

I missed the whole thing!! Been too cloudy here to even see the moon, let alone mars!!

well you didn't miss anything Molly, just a red dot, that's all there was to see from here even with a telescope :(

That's good to hear then, thought it was something I would regret not seeing!

Mars has been showing himself quite spectacularly here in Cal. Each evening for all of this month, if you look just right of the rising moon, it looked like a huge airliner coming in for a landing right into my house. Very bright and very close. I've enjoyed watching it.

Stella, I think you got my view.

I could.t believe how bright it was! We wanted to go up on top of the hill to see it with the telescope but my DS broke it :~(

Any pictures?

I tried to take pics using the camera and then using the binoculars but they didn't come out. My hand shakes too much and I haven't bought a tripod yet.

Ok - Here is my photo of mars - It really was a bad shot.