Grand Return of Mars in 2003

Detailed images on Aug 10Detailed images on Aug 10
Detailed images on Aug 29

d...Apparent diameter, L...Central longitude of Mars

Common data(Taken with digital still camera through telescopes & eyepieces)
Digital Camera:OLYMPUS C-5050Z
Mode:SHQ (2560×1920, high-quality JPEG format)

DateTelescopeEyepieceFocal
length		CCD
sensitivity		Exposure Time,
# of flames
May 9TAKAHASHI 12.5cm refractorLV5mm14900mmISO4001/10sec., 8flames
Jun 20Meade 25cm Schmidt-CassegrainLV12mm11625mmISO4001/25sec., 9flames
Jun 21TAKAHASHI 12.5cm refractorLV5mm12480mmISO4001/5sec., 7flames
Jul 15VIXEN 20cm VISACLV5mm7668mmISO4001/2sec., 15flames
Jul 19VIXEN 20cm VISACLV12mm6900mmISO4001/20sec., 12flames
Jul 21VIXEN 20cm VISACLV5mm7668mmISO4001/2.5sec., 7flames
Aug 3VIXEN 20cm VISACLV5mm7668mmISO4001/6sec., 29flames
Aug 4VIXEN 20cm VISACLV5mm7668mmISO2001/3sec., 30flames
Aug 7VIXEN 20cm VISACLV12mm7275mmISO2001/20sec., 97flames
Aug 10VIXEN 20cm VISACLV12mm6285mmISO4001/20sec., 104flames
Aug 21VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm7812mmISO4001/13sec., 121flames
Aug 22VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm6624mmISO4001/10sec., 94flames
Aug 24VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm6426mmISO4001/6sec., 71flames
Aug 25VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm5976mmISO2001/10sec., 128flames
Aug 29TAKAHASHI 12.5cm refractorRadian10mm4830mmISO2001/25sec., 120flames
Sep 5VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm5274mmISO2001/20sec., 126flames
Sep 9VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm5472mmISO2001/15sec., 120flames
Sep 11VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm5436mmISO2001/20sec., 126flames
Sep 14VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm5202mmISO2001/15sec., 124flames
Sep 28VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm5976mmISO2001/15sec., 128flames
Oct 9VIXEN 20cm VISACRadian10mm6624mmISO4001/20sec., 53flames
Oct 18TAKAHASHI 12.5cm refractorRadian10mm6170mmISO2001/20sec., 63flames
Nov 1TAKAHASHI 12.5cm refractorRadian10mm5660mmISO2001/20sec., 84flames

Detailed images of Mars will be browsed by clicking on blued dates.

This page shows you the set of Martian images taken in 2003. The Mars came the closest to the Earth on August 27, it was 55.76 million kilometers (89.21 million miles) away, and apparent diameter exceeded 25 arc seconds.
The Mars closes to the Earth every 26 months. Although it's very slight difference, this return can be said that the greatest approach in history. Some astronomers have calculated that the maximum diameter in this year is the biggest one in last 57 thousand (!) years. The Martian approaches with its maximum diameters exceeded 25 arc minutes occurred only one time in 19th and 20th century respectively. This fact tells us that we had the chance of a lifetime to observe the Mars in 2003.

   Star Field Images with Mars

 Stellar snaps including the approaching Mars in 2003

Approach of Moon & Mars, 22+30KB
Aquarius & Mars, f=55mm wide field, 57KB
Helix Nebula & Mars, f=105mm normal, 71KB



Mars images in season of 2007-2008
Grand return of Mars in 2001

Copyright(c) 2003 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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