MarsWatch 1996-1997

Images of Mars from Astronomers Around the World


Linking Amateur and Professional Mars Observing Communities

for Observational Support of the Mars Pathfinder Mission


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23 March 1997


This RGB CCD image (exposure times of 0.07 seconds (red), 0.15 seconds (green), and 0.20 seconds (blue)) was obtained by Gregory Terrance on March 23, 1997 (Ls=94.36, De=22.73, Dia.=14.18") using a 16-inch (41-cm) f/5 Newtonian reflector coupled with a Celestron PixCel 255 CCD camera. The effective focal ratio (EFR) was approximately f/20. Visible albedo features upon the disk include the small, but brilliant North Polar Cap (NPC) surrounded by a dark collar. Sinus Sabaeus is prominent on the central meridian (CM) towards the southern limb preceding (p.) an equally dark Sinus Meridiani. Syrtis Major is prominently dark towards the p., or evening, limb with Iapygia Viridis and Deltoton Sinus visible to the south. The Utopia-Cecropia-Ortygia region appears as a dark, curvilinear albedo feature north of Syrtis Major p. the CM. Margaritifer Sinus and Oxia Palus appears as a dark, triangular-shaped albedo feature on the South-following (Sf.) limb. Mare Acidalium and Niliacus Lacus appear prominent towards the following (f.), or morning, limb. The Boreosyrtis-Protonilus-Ismenius Lacus-Deuteronilus complex appears as a dark to dusky, knotted band just north of the center of the image. Also noted are clouds over Libya (p. limb), Hellas (Sp. limb), Chryse-Xanthe (f. limb), and Tempe (Nf. limb).


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