Nicolas BIVER #208
Letters to the Editor
From
Nicolas BIVER
in CMO #208
@ . . . . . Many thanks for the CMO newsletters, that I do welcome here every month, bringing news from planetary observers all around the world. [I would like to thank you too for the nice stamps coming with it!]
I have not given news for a while, but now I have more or less found how to deal with planetary observations on this island of Oahu (Hawaii), I have been more active in this field. The point is that I now also drive 30-50 min. away from Honolulu to go observing at a place on the north shore where skies are clearer, darker and much less turbulent, when not on the leeward side of the mountains. (Trade winds have been blowing more than 90% of the time (from N-E-E), since last April)
I have got nicely detailed images (see drawings on my web page) of Jupiter recently, and made a first valuable observation of Mars last Sunday (September 20, 1998 - 15:40 UT). With the 25.6cm Newtonian at 507x, the North Polar Cap was clearly visible, with a dark rim enhancing it. Mare Cimmerium was also visible, less obvious, as Syrtis Major but not very dark (morning haze?) LCM was 254ßW.
Luckily, Mars opposition may not interfere with either Jupiter or any known bright comet this coming spring, so I may have more time to draw it!
(22 Sept 1998 email)
Nicolas BIVER ( Hawaii, USA )
biver@IfA.Hawaii.Edu