Seeing is Great Tonight

by Matthew Marcus


I was out at Berkeley, looking at Mars through a Ranger. Despite the small aperture (70mm) I could distinctly see a dark marking wrapped halfway across the disk and some lighter contrast next to it. Even though Mars was not far over a building, it showed a nice, steady image. This was at Lawrence Berkeley Labs, where I work. There were a couple of other nuts there at 2:30am, so we had an impromptu star party.

Even though these guys are scientists, one of them did'nt know what the craters on the moon are. Anyway, I showed them Mars, the moon, Alberieo, the Double-double (it split), M39, M8 and M57 and they had a blast. It's always great egoboo to give people their first views through a scope.