Solar
& Planetary LtE Now in August 2026
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necessarily cited in the PDF’s CMO LtE
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¤••••• Subject: Mars Images
Received:
Hello,
I am sending my most recent Mars images.


Thank you
Tim WILSON (
¤••••• Subject: 25 Aug Mars image
attached
Received:
Some subtle shadings along the east
and south borders of Elysium which is to the right of the CM in this image.

Gary WALKER (
¤••••• Subject: Mars: August 24, 2026
Received:
Hi Masami ,
I am sending you my latest image of Mars

Many thanks,
Frank J MELILLO (
¤••••• Subject: 20 Aug Mars image
attached
Received:

Gary WALKER (
¤••••• Subject: Mars: August 19, 2026
Received:
Hi Masami ,
Here's my latest image of Mars

Thanks,
Frank J MELILLO (
¤••••• Subject: Re: Mars 15 August
0624UT R610LP RGB
Received:
Many thanks for this image,
The bright spot near the North Pole is most easily explained
as a local dust cloud.
Roger
Roger VENABLE (
¤••••• Subject: Mars 19 August 0523UT
R610LP RGB
Received:
Hi all,
Decent conditions again this morning.
Mare Sirenum and Mare Cimmerium extend across the upper section of the planet.
Elysium is at lower right with Amazonis
central.
The north polar hood is prominent.

Best regards,
¤••••• Subject: Mars 15 August 0624UT
R610LP RGB
Received:
Hi all,
I found some pretty nice conditions well after sunrise on
the 15th August.
Mare Cimmerium, Hesperia and Mare Tyrrhenum extend across the upper section of the planet.
No obvious indication of the Sinus Gomer
extensions. Elysium is at lower left with Syrtis
Major on the right limb.
An obvious offset bright feature at
lower right.

Best regards,
¤••••• Subject: Mars Recent Images
Received:
Hello Everyone,
Sending my most recent images of Mars..


Tim WILSON (
¤••••• Subject: 18 Aug Mars image
attached
Received:
Imaged just before sunrise through high
clouds.

Gary WALKER (
¤••••• Subject: Saturn image &
movie - August 14th
Received:
Hi all,
Some excellent seeing again on the
14th. A transit of Tethys was seen.
Multiple spokes were also captured on both ansae. A superb view visually was enjoyed as twilight was
underway.

https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-08-14-0152_5-RGBdp.jpg
https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/spokes_2026_08_14dp.mp4
Best wishes
Damian PEACH (Selsey, WS,
the
Web: http://www.damianpeach.com/
¤••••• Subject: Mars: August 16, 2026
Received:
Hi Masami ,
I have attached my Mars image

Thanks,
Frank J MELILLO (
¤••••• Subject: Mars 2026-08-16 UT
Received:
Mars images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Venus
2026-08-15 UT
Received:
Venus images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Saturn
images, 13th August 2026
Received:
Hi all,
Here are my first Saturn images of the season, with some
excellent seeing.
A few spots are visible, but almost no spokes.

Christophe
Christophe PELLIER (
Planetary
astronomy and imaging
¤••••• Subject: Mars image - August 11th
Received:
Hi all,
Here is Mars on the 11th. Elysium
hemisphere with Syrtis Major at left. Prominent NPH.

https://www.damianpeach.com/mars2026/m2026_08_11rgb.jpg
Best wishes
Damian PEACH (Selsey, WS,
the
Web: http://www.damianpeach.com/
¤••••• Subject: Saturn image &
movie - August 11th
Received:
Hi all,
Some excellent seeing on the 11th. Some
spots on the disk and more spokes were observed.
A transit of Enceladus is also
seen.

https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-08-11-0317_1-RGBdp.jpg
https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/spokes_2026_08_11dp.mp4
Best wishes,
Damian
PEACH (Selsey, WS, the
Web: http://www.damianpeach.com/
¤••••• Subject: 13 Aug Mars image
attached
Received:
Hello,
Here is a first effort on Mars for this apparition. I see no
definite dust activity in the area covered.

Gary WALKER (
¤••••• Subject: Mars 2026-08-12 UT
Received:
Mars images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Saturn 2026-08-10 UT
Received:
Saturn images on


Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Saturn images &
movies
Received:
Hi all,
Here are some Saturn images and movies from recent months.
Three different systems were used.
C14 with Saturn
M-QR, Skywatcher 16" F4.4 Newt and
24" F4.5 Newt on a session with Tom.
July 17th: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-07-17-0310_5-RGBdp.jpg
July 21st: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-07-21-0238_5-RGBdp.jpg
July 22nd: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-07-22-0302_1-RGBdp.jpg
July 24th (with spokes) https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-07-24-0341_2-RGBdp.jpg
July 25th (with moons/spokes) https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-07-25-0319_8-RGBdp.jpg

July 25th spokes animation: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/2026-07-25spoke_90min_dpcrop.gif
July 29th RGB with Tom Williams: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-07-29-0211_8-RGBtwdp.jpg
July 29th IR-RGB with Tom Williams: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-07-29-0256_7-RGBtwdp.jpg
Aug 3rd: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-08-03-0324_7-RGBdp.jpg
Aug 4th with spokes: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-08-04-0204_8-RGBdp.jpg
Aug 6th: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-08-06-0255_5-RGBdp.jpg
Aug 7th with spokes: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-08-07-0327_5-RGBdp.jpg
Aug 7th spoke movie: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/spokes_aug7th_full_dp.mp4
Aug 8th with many spokes!: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/s2026-08-08-0259_8-RGBdp.jpg
Aug 8th spoke movie: https://www.damianpeach.com/sat26/spokes_2026_08_08dp.mp4
Best wishes,
Damian PEACH (Selsey, WS,
the
Web: http://www.damianpeach.com/
¤••••• Subject: Venus
2026-08-10 UT
Received:
Venus images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Mars: August 8, 2026
Received:
Hi Masami,
More images of Mars on
Yes, there is a change in Chryse
area and moving northward between August 7th and August 8th images which they
are posted here.
I am hoping someone can follow this event.
One problem is that Chryse area is
visible only in daylight for observers in the

Best,
Frank J MELILLO (
¤••••• Subject: Mars - July 26th
Received:
Hi to All!,
Here are my latest sessions taken.

Efrain
Efrain MORALES RIVERA (
¤••••• Subject: Mars: August 7, 2026
Received:
Hi Masami,
I observed and imaged Mars (this morning) on
Even though Mars is only 4.8"
in disk diameter. it seems to show bright
spots in the Chryse area and dark blotches in Margaritifer Sinus and Aurorae
Sinus. I took all three images within four minutes. They all confirm one
another, and they show the same features. The
The Chryse area can
look bright at times and it can be tricky. But I’m seeing it as white blotches
and dark blotches above it (toward south). Hopefully,
there will be other observations to confirm this. I’ll try again tomorrow
morning if the weather cooperates.

Best,
Frank J MELILLO (
¤••••• Subject: Mars 7 August 0716UT
R610LP
Received:
Hi all,
It was nice to have my first morning session in the
observatory after returning from my recent trip.
The view looks down directly on Syrtis
Major and
Although I noted the increase in size since early July, the
planet remains below 5”.

Best regards,
¤••••• Subject: Saturn
2026-08-04UT
Received:
Saturn images on


Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Venus 2026-08-04UT
Received:
Venus images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Saturn, 3rd
August IR850
Received:
Hi all, here's an image of Saturn from a couple of hours ago
taken in poor seeing using an 850nm longpass filter.
16 images were measured and derotated
in Winjupos in an attempt to find any detail however
the only interesting thing visible is some dark spoke activity on the ring at
left as well as Tethys and Dione
just below the rings on the left.

Best regards
Anthony
Link:
https://www.acquerra.au/astro/gallery/saturn/index.live?dir=/saturn&image=20260803-181700
Anthony Wesley (
¤••••• Subject: Venus
2026-08-03UT
Received: 3 August
2026, 21:48 JST
Venus images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Saturn
2026-08-02UT
Received:
Saturn images on


Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Venus
2026-08-02UT
Received:
Venus images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Mars
2026-08-02UT
Received:
Mars images on

Best regards,
Tomio AKUTSU (
Akutsu Cebu Observarory
¤••••• Subject: Saturn, 2nd
August IR685
Received:
Hi all, here's an image and animation of Saturn data from
this morning, taken using a 685nm longpass filter
over the course of about 2 hours in variable seeing.
The image is a composite of 11 captures spanning 40 minutes
and shows some spoke activity on the left side of the ring as well as Tethys and shadow in transit.
The animation really shows how variable the seeing conditions were, some frames
are very good and other are very bad.

Link:
https://www.acquerra.au/astro/gallery/saturn/index.live?dir=/saturn&image=20260802-175948
Best regards
Anthony
Anthony Wesley (
¤••••• Subject: Saturn, 1st
August IR685
Received:
Hi all, here's an image of Saturn from this morning in a
period of steady seeing using a 685nm longpass
filter. 14 images spanning 39 minutes were measured and combined using Winjupos.
Some faint bright spots are visible on the disk just south
of the equatorial region, and some very faint dark spots can be seen on the
left side of the rings. Mimas can be seen as a tiny
point just below the ring at left.

Link:
https://www.acquerra.au/astro/gallery/saturn/index.live?dir=/saturn&image=20260801-175248
Anthony Wesley (
¤••••• Subject: Saturn, 31st July
IR685
Received:
Hi all, here's an image of Saturn from this morning using a
685nm longpass filter in steady conditions but with
moderate jetstream
blurring that softens much of the fine detail. 17 images spanning 31 minutes
were measured and combined in Winjupos.
The storm remnant from 2011 is faintly visible as a small
dark spot at top centre on the disk.
Rhea is the moon above Saturn, with Tethys to the
left above the rings and Dione at lower right.
Some very faint hints of spoke activity is
present on the left side of the rings.

Link:
https://www.acquerra.au/astro/gallery/saturn/index.live?dir=/saturn&image=20260731-182200
Best regards,
Anthony
Anthony Wesley (
¤••••• Subject: Mars: July 31, 2026
Received:
Hi Masami,
Here's a quick shot of Mars on
At CM 121 degrees longitude, Mare Sirerum
is seen on the right side in the southern hemisphere and Solis Lacus is visible
as a round spot near the eastern limb at
So far during the dust storm season, the atmospheric is free
of haze.

Best,
Frank J MELILLO (