{"id":14896,"date":"2025-07-04T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/?p=14896"},"modified":"2026-10-09T17:18:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T15:18:01","slug":"mars-through-a-telescope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/mars-door-een-telescoop\/","title":{"rendered":"Mars through a telescope: what do you see during opposition?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seeing Mars through a telescope is a magical moment for many people. Not just because it is a nearby neighboring planet, but because with the right time, good settings and a little patience (very important!) you can actually observe details on the surface. Think polar caps, dark areas and even seasonal changes. But what do you really see, and with which telescope?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This view of Mars, photographed July 9, 2013, shows half of the planet where the massive Valles Marineris canyon system is located. The image is actually a mosaic of 102 separate photos taken by the Viking Orbiter. In the center you can see the Valles Marineris system: a giant canyon more than 2,000 kilometers long and up to 8 kilometers deep in some places.
(Image: JPL-Caltech\/NASA<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Can you see Mars through a telescope?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, even with a simple 60 mm telescope, you can recognize Mars as a small, reddish disc. In good conditions, you can see the white polar caps and some dark spots on the surface. But to really recognize structure, you need more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During opposition<\/strong>, once every 26 months, Mars is closest to Earth. Then it is not only larger in the sky, but also bright. It is the period to observe Mars. Around that time, Mars can appear up to 25 arcseconds in size; just enough to make details visible from 100x magnification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What exactly do you see?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At low magnifications, you can see Mars as an orange-red ball. But at 150x to 250x magnification and a telescope of at least 130 mm aperture, you can see the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2713 Polar caps<\/strong>: bright, white areas of frozen CO\u2082 and water ice
\u2713 Dark areas (maria)<\/strong>: plains of basalt and sand, such as Syrtis Major
\u2713 Sloping edges<\/strong>: with good seeing you can see the spherical nature of Mars
\u2713 Atmospheric veil<\/strong>: a faint haze around the planet in clear weather
\u2713 Sometimes: dust storms<\/strong>, these can obscure entire regions<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During excellent conditions and with image processing (in astrophotography) you can also Valles Marineris<\/strong> (a canyon 2,000 km long) or Olympus Mons<\/strong> recognize, the largest volcano in the solar system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image 1: Mars through a small telescope (60-80 mm refractor or a 76 mm reflector) without tracking, live view
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Visually, you see Mars as a small, bright orange-red disk. This is due to iron oxide on the surface, the dust that gives the planet its color. At a magnification from 120x<\/strong> the sphere becomes recognizable as a planet, not a star. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image 2: A 6-8 inch SCT or Newtonian reflector (such as a Celestron<\/a> C8 or Sky-Watcher 150\/750)<\/a> With reasonable seeing and limited post-processing, live view<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What do you see with post-processing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mars is one of the most difficult planets to photograph well... Mars is small, bright, and fast-moving. Yet impressive results can be achieved with stacking and image processing. As seen here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image 3: A Celestron NexStar 6SE\/8SE, or an 8\u2033 Dobsonian with tracking. Camera stacking with post-processing; certainly more than just a single photo through eyepiece.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Figure 4: intermediate arrangement, a 130 mm Sky Watcher Newtonian<\/a> With 1-on-1 photo through an eyepiece with smartphone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mars through a telescope: small, tricky and addictive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those who want to see Mars properly through a telescope quickly discover that this red planet is a challenge. It is not a planet that immediately reveals spectacular images. Yet it is worth the effort: with the right preparation, you can see polar caps, dark plains (the so-called maria<\/em>) and sometimes even the terminator line, which is the boundary between day and night on the planet. But how do you get to that level of detail?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Astrophotographers typically use specific cameras such as the ZWO ASI cameras<\/strong>,<\/a> in combination with 8\u2033 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes<\/strong><\/a>. These are often supported with image editing software such as AutoStakkert<\/strong>, Registax<\/strong>, Luminar<\/strong> or Topaz DeNoise AI<\/strong>. But even without all these tools, you can get far as a visual observer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For most viewers, a 6 or 8-inch Dobson telescope<\/strong>, from the Sky Watcher brand, for example (on sale here)<\/a> (150-200 mm aperture) are already an excellent choice. These offer enough light output to make polar caps visible and show clear contrasts in the dark plains of Mars. You then see not just a red ball, but a planet with structure, layers and character. The image then really comes alive, especially when the seeing is good and your telescope is well acclimated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When do you see Mars best?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mars is best visible during opposition<\/strong>, which is when the Earth is exactly between Mars and the Sun. This is when Mars is closest to us and is largest and brightest in the sky. This happens only once every 26 months<\/strong>. The next time this happens is on Feb. 27, 2027<\/strong>, so it is smart to plan ahead now and practice with other planets that are easier to see :-).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best observation moments are when Mars high in the sky<\/strong> state. The higher, the less atmosphere you see through, and the more stable and sharp the image. Use planetarium apps such as SkySafari<\/strong> or Stellarium<\/a><\/strong> to determine when Mars is at its highest at your location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further:<\/p>\n\n\n\n