MarsWatch 1996-1997

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27 January 1997

This set of drawings was made on January 27, 1997 (Ls=70.26 (martian aphelion), De=22.42) at 06:45 UT (left image, Wratten 23A (light red) filter) and 07:00 UT (right image, Wratten 38A (blue) and 64 (blue-green) filters) by Carlos E. Hernandez (A.L.P.O. Mars Recorder) using an 8-inch (20-cm) f/7.5 Newtonian reflector at 305x as well as Wratten 23A, 38A, and 64 filters.

The red light (Wratten 23A) image on the left made at 06:45 UT (CM=150.1) depicts the North Polar Cap (NPC) as brilliant (10/10) and surrounded by a dark (3/10) collar with a "ragged" southern border consisting of Ierne, Scandia, Lemuria, and Panchaia (from p. to f. and north to south). The Propontis complex is visible f. the CM as a dark (3/10), comma-shaped albedo feature over Arcadia. Elysium is visible as an extremely bright (9/10) albedo feature adjacent to the morning, or f., limb with the Trivium Charontis-Cerberus I complex Sp., Styx-Phlegra p., and Chaos north of Elysium. Cebrenia appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) north of Elysium. Amazonis appears dusky to dull (4-5/10) on the CM, with a dusky (4/10) projection (possibly Eumenides) extending towards Solis Lacus, and p. the Styx-Phlegra region. Solis Lacus appears as a dark (3/10), oval-shaped albedo feature on the Sp. limb. An extremely bright (9/10), elliptical cloud is noted along the terminator, or evening limb, north of Solis Lacus over Candor. Another extremely brilliant (9/10), but smaller, cloud is noted along the terminator over Tharsis. Mare Sirenum appears as a dark (3/10), elongated albedo feature towards the southern limb north of an extremely bright (9/10) southern limb haze (SLH. An extremely bright (9/10) morning limb haze (MLH) is noted as well.

The blue light (Wratten 38A (blue) and 64 (blue-green) filters) image on the right was made at 07:00 UT (CM=153.8) also shows a brilliant (10/10) North Polar Cap (NPC) surrounded by a dark to dusky (3-4/10) collar, as described above. The Styx-Phlegra and Trivium Charontis-Cerberus I regions appear dark to dusky (3-4/10) p. a very bright (8/10) Elysium-Cebrenia region. The Zephyria-Aeolis region south of Trivium Charontis-Cerberus I appears very bright (8/10) as well. The Arcadia-Tharsis region appears very bright (8/10). An extremely bright (9/10), oval-shaped cloud is noted over Candor apparently connected to an equally bright evening limb haze (ELH) and southern limb haze (SLH). A thin, very bright (9/10) cloud appears to connect the SLH to the Candor cloud over Thaumasia. An extremely bright (9/10) morning limb haze (MLH) is noted as well.

(Legend: p.=preceding, f.=following, N.=north, S.=south, Np.=north-preceding, Nf.=north-following, Sp.=south-preceding, Sf.=south-following)


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