Got an early start around 6:20 PM (end of Daylight Savings)– after testing the seeing on Jupiter and Saturn – turned the scope onto Mars. Used magnifications of 167x, 222x, and 250x.
North Polar Hood (NPH) – brighter earlier in the evening; I noticed yesterday it faded as the evening progressed.
A couple of “new” features visible:
- Mare Acidalium – dark area just below the NPH.
- Sinus Meridiani – a noticeable dark spot near the edge of the western limb (mirror reversed image), which eventually rotated out of view.
Ended the session around 7:45 PM, so I didn’t stick around to see Mare Sirenum come into view