λ=003°Ls,  ( ω=325°~337°W,   φ=03°N ),   δ=15.9",   ι=08°

I made a series of Mars observations while visiting a friend (Michael Palermiti of Jupiter, Florida). The observations were made on December 16, 2007 (01:50-02:45 U.T.). I noted a good amount of detail over the regions between Syrtis Major and Mare Erythraeum.
The first observation (left image) was made using an excellent Orion XT10 (10-inch (25-cm) F/4.8 Dobsonian refIector.
The middle and right images were made using a 7-inch (18-cm) aperture stop over a 20-inch (52-cm) F/3.5 Newtonian reflector producing an unobstructed F/10 focal ratio (1,778 mm focal length).

Seeing (1-10): 5-6, Antoniadi (I-V): III Transparency (1-6): 5-6

Notes:
Left image (01:50 U.T., XT10 Dobsonian reflector, 136x):
Hellas is very bright to extremely bright (8-9/10) over the south-preceding limb. Hellespontus appears as a dark to dusky (3-4/10) diagonal bar across the central meridian (CM). Mare Australe appears dusky to shaded (4-6/10) and mottled. Noachis appears dusky to shaded (4-6/10) and mottled as well. Deucalionis Regio appears bright (7/10). Iapygia Viridis appears dull to bright (5-7/10) over the preceding limb adjacent to a very bright to extremely bright (8-9/10) evening limb haze (ELH). Deltoton Sinus appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) and mottled. Sinus Sabaeus appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) with an irregular northern border. Meridiani Sinus appears dark to shaded (3-6/10) towards the following limb (Edom appears bright (7/10) with possible haze noted over it). Syrtis Major appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) and mottled with an overlying bright to very bright (7-8/10) haze over it's eastern (preceding) half. Aeria, Arabia, Moab, Eden, Cydonia, and Dioscuria appear shaded to bright (6-7/10). Protonilus, Ismenius Lacus, and Deuteronilus appear dark to dusky towards the northern limb. Mare Acidalium (eastern portion) appears dark to dull (3-5/10) towards the north-following limb. Extremely bright (9/10) southern limb haze (SLH), morning limb haze (MLH), northern limb haze (NLH), and evening limb haze (ELH) is visible.
Middle image (02:15 U.T., 7" F/10 Unobstructed reflector, 142x and 178x):
The same descriptions as above with Syrtis Major closer to the preceding limb and Meridiani Sinus and Mare Acidalium more prominent towards the following limb.
Right image (02:45 U.T., 7" F/10 Unobstructed reflector, 178x):
The same description as above with a very prominent Sinus Sabaeus and Meridiani Sinus on the CM. Eastern portions of Margaritifer Sinus (4/10) and Mare Eryhtaraeum (4-6/10) are visible over the following limb.

Observer:   Carlos E HERNANDEZ,   Miami   FL