Mars in 2010
Mars reached apparition (closest approach) on 27-Jan-2010, when it was 0.664AU (about 61.7 million miles away. It is now rapidly receding, and it will reach its furthest distance (this cycle) in January-2011, when it will be as far as 2.4 AU.
The images shown here are the best from the given nights, using equivalent processing techniques. In the first image, Mars has an angular size of roughly 14.1 Arcsec; in the last image, only 8.3 Arcsec... and shrinking. For reference, the moon is about 31 Arcminutes (> 100x larger), and Jupiter is about 40 Arcsec.
Mars in 2010
Mars reached apparition (closest approach) on 27-Jan-2010, when it was 0.664AU (about 61.7 million miles away. It is now rapidly receding, and it will reach its furthest distance (this cycle) in January-2011, when it will be as far as 2.4 AU.
The images shown here are the best from the given nights, using equivalent processing techniques. In the first image, Mars has an angular size of roughly 14.1 Arcsec; in the last image, only 8.3 Arcsec... and shrinking. For reference, the moon is about 31 Arcminutes (> 100x larger), and Jupiter is about 40 Arcsec.