As we enjoy the new images coming from Phoenix, I thought I would add these shots. They were taken by E. S. Holden using the 36-inch telescope at Lick Observatory between 1888 and 1892. He was never happy with the results, but they are impressive for the time. By 1890, he seemed to have some good results. However, in 1892, Mars had a declination far to the south, and as a result, the low position in the sky combined with the long exposures needed wrecked havoc, rendering most exposures useless. Additionally, film in those days was primarily sensitive to blue light. You will notice that clouds seem exaggerated as a result of this.

Click to view attachment

Thanks for those. Could you let us know the time as well as the date for the images. Perhaps then some of our resident imaging experts could produce simulations of what Mars would have looked like at that time; they'd make interesting comparisons.

Steve M

I am on my way out the door....I have the times for some of them, but am trying to figure out what they are (in other words, is it local or universal time). I will post these when I get home.

Reminds me of the webcam picks I attempted several years ago. Actually, his look quite a bit better. I only had an 8" scope, and crappy seeing. What amateurs can do today is just amazing however:

http://www.christone.net/astro/mars/

The exposures were about 20 minutes, and these times are roughly the central point.
April 26, 1888 14:16
April 9, 1890 22:10
April 10, 1890 0:29
April 11, 1890 0:10
April 15, 1890 23:17
May 1, 1890 21:08
May 26, 1890 19:22
May 31, 1890 20:39
June 1, 1890 19:09
June 30, 1890 16:30
August 21, 1892 9:14