MarsWatch 1996-1997

Images of Mars from Astronomers Around the World


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28 March 1997


This set of Mars CCD images was obtained by astroimager Gregory Terrance on March 28, 1997 (Ls=96.58, De=22.89, Dia.=14.07") at 03:26 UT (left image, CM=289.4) and 03:29 UT (right image, CM=290.2) using a 16-inch (41-cm) f/5 Newtonian reflector coupled with a Celestron PixCel 255 CCD camera in red light. Syrtis Major is prominent on the central meridian (CM) with it's inner portion appearing darker than it's p. (or eastern) and f. (or western) borders. The North Polar Cap (NPC) appears small and very bright to extremely bright (8-9/10). A dark collar appears to encircle the NPC. The Utopia-Cecropia-Ortygia region appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) with a dark (3/10), "spike-like" Casius projecting from the southern border of Utopia p. the CM. Nodus Alcyonius appears dark (3/10), and elongated Sp. Casius. The Boreosyrtis region appears dusky (4/10) and mottled on and f. the CM. Iapygia Viridis and Deltoton Sinus, south of Syrtis Major, appear dark (3/10). Mare Tyrrhenum and Syrtis Minor appears dark (3/10) as well Sp. Syrtis Major. Hellas appears very bright (8/10) on the southern limb. Tritonis Sinus appears dark (3/10), and "beak-like" on the p., or evening, limb. Hesperia appears bright (7/10) separating Tritonis Sinus from Mare Tyrrhenum. Sinus sabaeus appears dark (3/10) extending towards the f. limb from a dark (3/10) Mare Serpentis. Elysium appears extremely bright (9/10) on the p. limb with a dark (3/10) Hyblaeus Extension f. it (some dusky (4/10), mottled detail is visible Sf. it over Aethiopis.

(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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