Marswatch 1998-1999 Apparition Linking Amateur and Professional Mars Observing Communities.

Images - 1999 March 1-15
    (All times U. T. - Images not to scale. Click on image for larger scale view.)

01

No images.

02

Ted Stryk
4-1/2-inch f/9 Newtownian; 80A and 25 filters
11:32-11:37 UT;  Seeing: 4,  Transparency: 5

The seeing was not very good, and not much detail could be seen. With a blue filter, clouds were visible on the terminator and the limb.

03

Donald C. Parker, Coral Gables, Florida
Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) f/6 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection @ f/47.8

Integration Times:
   Blue (BG12 + IR Rejection)   15.75s
   Green (VG9 + IR Rejection)   5.00s
   Red (RG610 + IR Rejection)  0.53s
Images flat and dark corrected.
Seeing fair-good (6-7). Transparency 4.0m. occassional haze; HIGH SE winds, 0-15 knots, no dew. Difficult imaging because of gusty winds.
Clouds across Syrtis Major, Libya, Aeria-Arabia, forming ECB, conspicuous in blue light. Hellas not bright in red, but dull cloud noted over Hellas in green and blue.

04

No images.

05

Carlos E. Hernandez (A.L.P.O. Mars Section)
8-inch (20-cm) f/10 Sch/Cass at 235-285x and Wratten 23A, 38A and 58 filters.

06:10 UT (CM: 318.8°, L_s: 105.6°, D_e: 15.07°).

The North Polar Cap (NPC) appears small and brilliant (10/10) surrounded by a dark (3/10) collar comprised of Cecropia, Ortygia, and Mare Acidalium. Dioscuria appears partially obscured by a dark (3/10), elongated Boreosyrtis. Syrtis Major appears dark (3/10) and prominent adjacent to the following (or evening) limb. Hellas appears brilliant (10/10) along the south-preceding (Sp) limb giving the appearance of extending beyond the terminator. Hellespontus, as well as the southern half of Noachis, appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) north of a brilliant south polar hood (SPH). Sinus Sabaeus is darkly (3/10) visible on the central meridian (CM) with Meridiani Sinus (3/10) visible at it's following end as a bi-forked albedo feature. The following (or eastern) half of Mare Acidalium, as well as Niliacus Lacus, appears dark (3/10) adjacent to a brilliant morning limb haze (MLH). Callirrhoe Sinus and Callirrhoe appear as a dark (3/10) projection from the north-preceding (Np) border of Mare Acidalium. Margaritifer Sinus also appears dark (3/10) and elongated adjacent to the morning limb haze.

06

David Klassen and Bill Golisch, NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, Mauna Kea, Hawaii
3.0-meter; 11:10 UT
Click on image for additional views from this observing run.

These images were taken at the NASA IRTF using the NSFCAM. Mars was imaged through the circular variable filter (CVF) at several infrared wavelengths (wavelength in micrometers listed below each image). The observations were made at about 11:10 UT by David Klassen and Dave Griep. The images have gone through preliminary processing but have yet to be absolutely calibrated.

David Klassen and Bill Golisch, NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, Mauna Kea, Hawaii
3.0-meter; 11:40 UT
Click on image for additional views from this observing run.

These images were taken at the NASA IRTF using the NSFCAM. Mars was imaged through the circular variable filter (CVF) at several infrared wavelengths (wavelength in micrometers listed below each image). The observations were made at about 11:40 UT by David Klassen and Dave Griep. The images have gone through preliminary processing but have yet to be absolutely calibrated.

David M. Moore, Pheonix, Arizona, E-mail: davidpaulamoore@email.msn.com
Astrovid 2000 video camera, processed w/snappy, Megafix, and Paint Shop Pro; 14.25-in (36cm) f/13.5 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection @ f/35

Filters: W-25; W-38; W-47; W-57. All with infrared blocker filter.
Diameter: 10.9"; L_s=106.0°; CM: 31.33°-33.04° W.; D_e: 15.30°
Seeing: 4-5 (poor-fair), Transparency 2.5, Intermittent clouds and Moon. Blue (Violet) Clearing: 1
Morning clouds in the southwest including Solis Lacus. No activity in Chryse at high noon. Northern Polar Cap very small. Some limb haze over south polar region. Mare Boreum visible in violet light as well as subtle shadings of Mare Acidilium and southern albedos.

David Klassen and Bill Golisch, NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, Mauna Kea, Hawaii
3.0-meter; 12:10 UT
Click on image for additional views from this observing run.

These images were taken at the NASA IRTF using the NSFCAM. Mars was imaged through the circular variable filter (CVF) at several infrared wavelengths (wavelength in micrometers listed below each image). The observations were made at about 12:10 UT by David Klassen and Dave Griep. The images have gone through preliminary processing but have yet to be absolutely calibrated.

07

Donald C. Parker, Coral Gables, Florida
Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) f/6 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection @ f/47.8

Integration Times:
   Blue (BG12 + IR Rejection)  12.75-14.50s
   Green (VG9 + IR Rejection)    4.88s
   Red (RG610 + IR Rejection)   0.46s
Images flat and dark corrected.
Seeing variable (6-8). Transparency: 4-4.5m with high haze. No wind. Heavy dew.
Bright morning limb cloud/haze. Syrtis Blue Cloud prominent. ?Partial ECB. Cloud over Hellas on evening limb.

08

No images.

09

David M. Moore, Pheonix, Arizona, E-mail: davidpaulamoore@email.msn.com
Astrovid 2000 video camera, processed w/snappy, Megafix, and Paint Shop Pro; 14.25-in (36cm) f/13.5 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection @ f/35

Filters: W-25; W-38; W-47; W-57. All with infrared blocker filter.
Diameter: 11.3"; L_s=107.3°; CM: 5.66°-6.39° W.; D_e: 14.9°
Seeing: 4, Transparency 2.5, Intermittent clouds, Blue (Violet) Clearing: 1
Morning limb brightness from 20° south to north polar region in green light. Strong morning clouds in equatorial regions in blue and violet. Very light evening cloud activity. Albedos are quite clear, no dust noted. Some violet clearing with Mare Acidilium and the "pipe bowl" noted.

10

Donald C. Parker, Coral Gables, Florida
Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) f/6 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection @ f/47.8

Integration Times:
   Blue (BG12 + IR Rejection)  13.75-18.75s
   Green (VG9 + IR Rejection)    4.88-8.75s
   Red (RG610 + IR Rejection)   0.45-0.63s
Images flat and dark corrected.
Seeing variable (5-6). Pre cold front. Transparency highly variable with frequent clouds (2-4m) and high haze. No wind. Moderate dew.
Bright morning limb cloud/haze over Chryse rotating onto planet. Syrtis Blue Cloud prominent. ?Partial ECB. Cloud over Hellas. Note north polar cap -- clouds and/or possible outlier (Cecropia). Hint of Rima Tenuis on some red light images.

11

No images.

12

Carlos E. Hernandez (A.L.P.O. Mars Section)
8-inch (20-cm) f/10 Sch/Cass at 308x and Wratten 23A, 38A and 58 filters.

05:30 UT (CM: 244.6°, L_s: 108.8°, D_e: 14.8°; Dia: 11.57").

The North Polar Cap (NPC) appears brilliant (10/10) with a small, extremely bright (9/10) haze surrounding it as well as a dark (3/10) collar consisting of Panchaia, Utopia, and Cecropia. Casius appears as a dark (3/10) spike-like projection from the southern border of Utopia f. the CM. Nodus Alcyonius appears as a dark (3/10) diamond-shaped albedo feature Sp Casius over Aetheria (7/10). Elysium appears as a very bright to extremely bright (8-9/10) oval-shaped albedo feature towards the preceding (p) limb. The dark to dusky 3-4/10) Hyblaeus Extension appears along the following (f) border of Elysium and possibly Cerberus II (dusky to dull (4-5/10), or possibly a contrast effect) projecting south from it's southern border. Mare Cimmerium and Tritonis Sinus appear dark (3/10) along the Sp limb. Mare Tyrrhenum appears dark (3/10) on the CM as well as Syrtis Minor. Hesperia appears as a thin, very bright (8/10) strip separating Mare Cimmerium from Mare Tyrrhenum. The preceding half of Syrtis Major (3/10) appears adjacent to the following limb. A very bright to extremely bright (8-9/10) strip over Crocea appears to separate Mare Tyrrhenum from Syrtis Major. Extremely bright (9/10) morning (MLH) and evening (ELH) limb hazes are noted as well. An extremely brilliant South Polar Hood (SPH) is visible as well.

Donald C. Parker, Coral Gables, Florida
Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) f/6 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection @ f/47.8

Integration Times:
   Blue (BG12 + IR Rejection)  11.75-13.25s
   Green (VG9 + IR Rejection)    4.50-4.75s
   Red (RG610 + IR Rejection)   0.45s
Images flat and dark corrected.
Seeing variable (3-5), post cold front. Transparency: 4m with high haze.. No wind. Heavy dew.
Clouds weak. ECB with morning and evening limb clouds. Cloud over Hellas. In red light, Zea Lacus possibly detected on floor of Hellas.

Daniel P. Joyce, Chicago, Illinois
18" f/5.9 RL 448X; 03/12/99 Drawings 1 and 2: 10:35-10:55 UT; CM: 318° Filter: W#80A.  Drawing 3: 10:55-11:05 UT; CM: 321°; Filter: W#23A.

L_s:101° ; D_e: 15°
Filters Seeing: 6; Transparency: 5

Limb cloud in red light.

13

Carlos E. Hernandez (A.L.P.O. Mars Section) 8-inch (20-cm) f/10 Sch/Cass at 308x and Wratten 23A, 38A and 58 filters. 06:15 UT (CM: 246.4°, Ls: 109.2°, De: 14.8°; Dia: 11.68"). A brilliant (10/10) haze is noted throughout the limbs of the planet over the North Polar Cap (NPC), morning (or following), evening (or preceding), and south polar region (SPR). The evening limb haze (ELH) appears to merge with a very bright to extremely bright (8-9/10) cloud over Elysium adjacent to the preceding limb. A Blue (or violet) clearing of 2 (graded on a scale of 0-3 with regards to the distinctiveness of surface (albedo) features noted while employing blue (W38A) or violet (W47) filters) is noted at this time.

Carlos E. Hernandez (A.L.P.O. Mars Section) 8-inch (20-cm) f/10 Sch/Cass at 308x and Wratten 23A, 38A and 58 filters. 05:30-06:00 UT (CM: 235.5-242.8°, Ls: 109.2°, De: 14.8°). A sectional sketch of the Elysium-Hyblaeus Extension region on Mars (approximately 190-270 degrees West longitude (areographic). Elysium appears very bright to extremely bright (8-9/10) as a cloud( or haze) over it. Elysium appears to be surrounded by a dark to dusky ring consisting of Hecates Lacus, Chaos, and Morpheos Lacus to the north, Hyblaeus (Nf border), Hephaestus (f. border), Eunostos I (Sf border), Pambotis Lacus (southern border), Cerberus and Trivium Charontis (Sp border). The region on Mars west (or following) Hyblaeus, over Aetheria, appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) and has been termed the "Hyblaeus Extension." A dusky (4/10) projection is noted to extend from Pambotis Lacus to the south over Aethiopis which may represent Cerberus II. Nodus Alcyonius appears as a dusky (4/10), diamond-shaped albedo feature towards the right (west). Casius appears as a dark (3/10) projection from Utopia at the bottom right corner.

Donald C. Parker, Coral Gables, Florida
Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) f/6 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection @ f/47.8

Integration Times:
   Blue (BG12 + IR Rejection)  13.00-13.75s
   Green (VG9 + IR Rejection)    5.00-5.50s
   Red (RG610 + IR Rejection)   0.50-0.58s
Images flat and dark corrected.
Seeing good (8), pre cold front. Transparency: (2-5m) with frequent clouds, hazes. Wind E 1-2 knots. Heavy dew.
Elysium only moderately bright on afternoon limb. Weak ECB with morning limb cloud/haze. Cloud over Hellas. In red light Zea Lacus detected on floor of Hellas. Hyblaeus dark; Loacoontis-Thoth Nepenthes still absent.

	Tomio Akutsu, Japan; E-mail: is6t-akt@asahi-net.or.jp 32cm F/6.5 Reflector Telers2 KAF0400E CCD Integration times: N: 0.4s R + IR block filter: 0.8s G + IR block filter: 0.8s B + IR block filter: 8s IR: 0.8s Tri-color is composite of images 3-6 (R, G, & B) Seeing: 4 J=4-5/10 Transparency: 5/5

14

Damian Peach, United Kingdom

Go to last half of March 1999's Images

Go to Next Month's Images

Go to Last Month's Images

Return to the Marswatch 1998-1999 Images Calendar

Return to the Marswatch 1998-1999 Homepage.