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Mars above the Lunar Surface

The near pass of the Moon to Mars on 24. December 2007

Experience Report


On early morning on 24. December 2007 above central Europe a very rare astronomical event took place. Sun, Earth, Mond and Mars were aligned on a small strip, that extended over Canada, Greenland and Central Europe up to Turkey, a very near pass of our moon to the planet Marscould be visible. In some areas, in central Europe northeast a line of the cities of Fulda (Germany) - Viennna (Austria), an occultation of the red planet by our moon could be observed.

Unfortunately many areas were covered by fog - oder clouds, but on top of the 880 meters high mountain Feldberg im Taunus the celestial spectacle could be observed undisturbedly under best conditions. I started a nightly tour to the higest mountain of Taunus to experience and photograph the constellation above fog and clouds.

Moon and Mars

04:41 Moon and Mars

Moon and Mars on 24.12.2007 at 04:41 CET, captured on Feldberg im Taunus with a Jenoptik JD5.0z3 digital camera through a Celestron C5 Telescope with 30mm eyepiece, 1/16s exposed at ISO50.

Mars above the Lunar Surface

04:55 Mars above the Lunar Surface

Moon and Mars on 24.12.2007 at 04:55 MEZ, captured on Feldberg im Taunus with a Jenoptik JD5.0z3 digital camera through a Celestron C5 Telescope with 12,5mm eyepiece, 1/30s exposed at ISO50.

This image shows shortly before the nearest approach of both celestial bodies at 04:55 with a digital camera through a 5-inch mirror telescope. It shows the planet Mars over a crater- and mountain region near the lunar south pole.

Although an occultation of Mars did not take place at Feldberg/Taunus, this constallation is an almost eclipse event, the photographed approach is nearer than on other experienced occultaions, where no photo or observation could be conducted during the set and rise of the planet, due to this fact these images are on the eclipse page.

Stephan Heinsius, Dreieich, 27. December 2007 and 05. January 2008
 

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