These images were taken with a C14 XLT on an AP900GTO mount.  I used a QHY290M camera.  A Starlight Xpress USB  filter wheel was used to produce an RGB image.  I used an Astrophysics Advanced Barcon (starting April 23) working at 3X.    To capture I used  FireCapture 2.5.  For processing, I use AutoStakkert and  Registax V5 .

Its the last day of the year! Happy New Year!  I finally had a clearing.  Seeing was a bit unstable.

Syrtis Major and Sinus Sabaeus are prominent on this region.  There are some thin clouds just above the south pole and also at Hellas.  The south polar cap is barely visible while the north polar hood is very bright.

Weather here had been horrible.  I had a clearing during the last few days.  But I spent those times imaging the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction.  Mars is getting smaller as it goes away from us.

We are back to the Mare Erythraeum/Chryse region.  There are still some lingering dust over this region although the heavy dust storm is over.  There are dust at Aurorae Sinus and Depressio Erythraea.  The south polar cap is very small now and the polar region seem to be clear of dust.  The north polar hood is getting bigger.

I went back to my QHY290M today.  Using the QHY183M for planetary is quite a headache.  Seeing was good today.

Solis Lacus is setting on the right.  The Tharsis Volcanic region can be seen and there are hints of the three Tharsis volcanoes.  Olympus Mons is distinct as a red patch.

I just received a QHY183M today so I tested it out with Mars.  This wasn't really built as a planetary camera but I need this to image the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction next week.  I spent some time re-collimating my OTA.  Seeing was good.

These images show Mare Sirenum.  Solis Lacus is slowly coming to view.  Olympus Mons is the reddish dot on the upper right.  The south polar cap is very small now.  Note some clouds over Mare Chronium.

Seeing was still unstable this evening because I am still not getting laminar wind flow. 

Mare Sirenum is at the CM.  Solis Lacus is setting on the lower right.  Olympus Mons is on the upper right.

Seeing was unstable this evening.

Mare Sirenum is prominent in these images.  Olympus Mons can be seen on the upper right.  There are clouds over Mare Chronium.

I had a short clearing before the sky became overcast.  Seeing was not great but acceptable.

This image shows Mare Cimmerium and Mare Sirenum.  Olympus Mons can also be seen on the upper right.

Condition was very unstable today. 

Mare Cimmerium is prominent on these images.  Sinus Gomer is well resolved.  Note the clouds over Mare Chronium.  The south polar cap has shrunk a lot now and isn't every bright.  No more trace of dust in this regions so I guess the dust storm is over.

Seeing was mostly very poor today.  But improved during a brief period towards the end of my imaging run.

These images feature Mare Cimmerium.  Sinus Gomer is well resolved.  There seems to be some lingering dust over the southern temperate zone. The south pole is very tiny now!

It was overcast all day today.  But the sky cleared close to 10pm.  Seeing was horrible because Mars was over my hot roof.  Transparency was poor due to haze.

Syrtis Major and Mare Tyrrhenum are prominent in these images.   Sinus Gomer can be seen setting on the right.  The dust storm seem to have dissipated but there are still some lingering dust over Hellas to the south pole.  The south polar cap is very tiny now!  It also looks a lot dimmer that before probably due to dust haze.

Condition was a bit frustrating today.  The sky was partially cloudy and I had to image between clouds.  Seeing was poor.

Syrtis Major is prominent in these images.  There is still dust activity over Hellas and the southern edge part of Syrtis Major.  It seems that the dust has reached the south polar cap as it is not very bright now.

Poor conditions today. Seeing was variable and I had to image through thin clouds.

Syrtis Major is prominent in these images.  There is still dust activity at Hellas to Chersonium, but it seems that it is confined on the southern Temperate area.  The south polar cap is very small now.

I rained early this evening but cleared at around 7pm.  Seeing was average.

The dust storm is still active around Hellas and it is pushing to the Southern parts of Syrtis Major.  There is dust at Diocalonis Regio south of Sinus Sabeaus.  Dust is present at Hellespontus and Noachis.  Dust seem to be approaching the south pole.  Syrtis Major and the northern part of Sinus Sabeaus is dust free.

The weather during the last few days wasn't great.  I finally had a clearing today.  Seeing was good.  I am still trying to get a handle on getting the correct color balance with my Mars image, while keeping the polar ice cap as close to white and not over burning it. 

The dust storm has now reached the Hellas basin. There is a dust cloud over Hellespontus.  It seems that this storm has not breached Sinus Sabeaus and a portion of the south pole remains clear.  The Schiaparelli crater is clearly outlined.

I never thought I would be able to image today.  It actually rained hard early this evening.  Seeing was variable and transparency was poor due to clouds.  I did not have a lot of imaging time as rain was coming.

The region around Mare Erythaeum is covered with dust.  Even Sinus Meridiani is shrouded in dust.  The eastern part of Sinus Sabeaus is dust free but area attached to Meridiani has dust going through!  This region of Mars is unrecognizable!

Seeing was perfect today but I had to deal with some clouds.

A bright dust storm system is now right next to Sinus Sabeaus!  Dust is now over Sinus Meridiani and there is even a system that bisects Sinus Sabeaus!   The entire Mare Erythraeum is covered with dust and moving even close to the south pole!  Will this go global?

Condition was perfect today.

The dust storm is still growing.  Note the bright at Aram which is just west of Sinus Meridiani.  Valles Marineris is still very distinct.  Mare Eryrthaeum is filled with dust.  There is even dust all the way to Sinus Sabeaus.  The shape of this dust storm changes on the daily basis!

I

The sky was mostly clear when I started imaging.  But there were thunderclouds headed my way.  There were periods of good seeing.  I had to shut down a few minutes before we had a heavy downpour.

The dust storm has engulfed a huge area around  Mare Erythraeum.  Dust is still prominent on Vallis Marineris and Aurorae Sinus/Eos.  Sinus Meridiani and Sinus Sabeaus can be seen on the right.  The dust is headed that way.

November 17, 2020

The sky was clear today but seeing was a little unstable.

The dust storm has really grown and has spread to a great area!  There is dust from Solis Lacus to Sinus Meridiani/Sinus Sabaeus! The dust is all over Mare Erythraeum.   Aurorae Sinus is unrecognizable now!  The dust has spread north over Chryse and Ganges all the way to Niliacus Lacus!  This is turning into a major dust storm!

Condition was a bit challenging today due to clouds and unstable seeing.

Just when we thought that this storm was slowing down, it erupts big time.   Dust is now all over Mare Erythraeum all the way to Argyre and Bosphoros!  Note the bright spots there where there was none yesterday.  Chryse and Ganges has also brightened up due to dust.   Valles Marineris is very well seen due to the bright dust!   Note the bright line over Aurorae Sinus, this faded yesterday!  The dust seem to be spreading towards the south polar cap.

Condition was perfect today. 

Dust storm has evolved.  There are bright spots at Chryse probably the dust storm erupting at that region.  These spots are prominent in IR.  Vallis Mariners is still bright but not as bright as yesterday.  The dust storm there might be weakening.  The bright line on Aurorae Sinus is fading.  Note the dust spreaking to Mare Erythraeum.  The dust spreading over Ganges has also faded.

I had my 3rd night of clear skies.  Condition was perfect!

The Dust storm continues.  It is now spilling over the Ganges!  Valles Marineris is prominent due to the dust storm.  Some dust are spreading to Mare Erythraeum.  It is amazing to see how much it moves overnight!

Another clear night. Seeing was good.

What a difference one day makes.  The dust storm at Chryse has spilled over to Valles Marineris, the longest canyon in the solar system!  Note the bright spot at Juventae Fons.  The south polar cap is shrinking fast. 

After a few cloudy days due to a typhoon, I had another clear night with good seeing conditions!

There seems to be a brightening in the area of Aurorae Sinus and Chryse.  Is this a dust storm?  These images show Mare Erythraeum and Solis Lacus very well.  Olympus Mons can be seen rising on the upper left on the second set of images.