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MarsWatch 1996-1997

Images of Mars from Astronomers Around the World


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24 February 1997

ih022497.jpg

The red light (Wratten 23A) drawing of Mars on the left was made on February 24, 1997 (Ls=82.49, De=22.04, Dia.=12.93") by Carlos E. Hernandez (A.L.P.O. Mars Coordinator) at 05:20 UT (CM=236.5) using an 8-inch (20-cm) f/7.5 Newtonian reflector at 305x and 492x. The North Polar Cap (NPC) appears brilliant (10/10) and small with Cecropia, an NPC remnant, visible f. the CM. A shaded to dusky (4-6/10) zone appears to separate the small NPC from the surrounding dark (3/10) collar consisting of Lemuria, Panchaia, Uchronia, and Utopia. Casius appears as a dark (3/10), curvilinear albedo feature f. the CM along the southern border of Utopia. Elysium appears shaded to very bright (6-8/10) p. the CM towards the terminator (a very bright (8/10) oval-shaped cloud appears over the f., or western, half of Elysium. The Trivium Charontis-Cerberus (I) complex appears as a dark (3/10) wedge adjacent to the terminator Sp. Elysium. The Hyblaeus Extension appears dark to dull (3-5/10) f. and Nf. Elysium along with Eunostos (I) Sf. and Chaos N. of Elysium. Dusky to dull (4-5/10) projections were noted to extend from the f., or western, border of the Hyblaeus Extension over Aetheria and Aethiopis (during brief moments of very steady seeing (8-9/10) a fine "mottling" pattern was noted throughout the Aetheria-Aethiopis region such that the observer was unable to render it with sufficient accuracy). Mare Cimmerium and Tritonis Sinus are visibly dark (3/10) towards the southern limb p. the CM. A bright to very bright (7-8/10) Hesperia appeared to separate Mare Cimmerium from a dark (3/10) Mare Tyrrhenum. Syrtis Minor was visible f. the CM as a dark (3/10) caret along the northern border of mare Tyrrhenum. Syrtis Major was visibly dark (3/10) towards the f., or morning, limb. An extremely bright (9/10) MLH, ELH and SLH were noted as well.

The blue (Wratten 38A) and blue-green (Wratten 64) drawing on the right was made at 06:10 UT (CM=248.7) using the same equipment as described above. A very bright equatorial cloud band (ECB; please refer to my January 19, 1997 observation for explanation) was noted over Isidis Regio, Libya, and Aethiopis apparently connecting with a very bright (8/10) strip over Hesperia on the CM. The North Polar Cap (NPC) appeared extremely bright (9/10) as well as the ELH, MLH, and the SLH.

(Legend: N.=north, S.=south, p.=preceding, f.=following, Np.=north-preceding, Nf.=north-following, Sp.=south-preceding, Sf.=south-following, MLH=morning limb haze, ELH=evening limb haze, and SLH=southern limb haze)


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