Sketched August 16, 2003 from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park 11:30 p.m. pacific DST (daylight savings time) or 06:30 UT August 17. Near full moon not yet risen, seeing good, Transparency LM 5.0.

Date: 08/17/03 Lat 37N, Long 119W, elev. 7,200 feet	Sketch Time (UT): 6:30, (local time): 11:30 p.m. DST
Central Meridian: 161°	Filters: none
Instrument: 7.1-inch (180mm) f/9 Astro-Physics Starfire Apo refractor.	Distance from earth 0.38 AU, 57m km, 35.3m miles
Magnification: (6mm) 180x  Zeiss Abbe Ortho	Transp. 6/6, Seeing 7/10, Antoniadi (I-V):  II
Apparent Size: 24.6"	Magnitude: -2.7

Mare Sirenum (with the bulblike section) and Mare Cimmerium are the bold features. Mare Tyrhenum is washed out. I can see the far edge of the shrinking south polar cap too. Just south of the north polar area I observed some dark markings. Propontis Complex?

Details about Mars: Diameter 24.6 arc seconds (Jupiter is about 30 -50 arc seconds in diameter depending on its distance from earth). Central Meridian 161 - the imaginary line passing through the planetary poles of rotation and bisecting the planetary disk, and is used to determine the longitude during an observing session.

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