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

Images - 1999 June 15-30
    (All times U. T. - Images not to scale. Click on image for more or larger scale views where available.)

15

Daniel M. Troiani, ALPO Mars Section Coordinator, Chicago, Illinois, E-mail: dantroiani@earthlink.net
17.5-inch (44 cm) f/4.8 Newtonian, 478x.

02:11-02:27; CM: 67-70°; L_s: 154.7°; D_e: 22.7°
Filters: W#80a, W#47, W#25
Blue Clearing (0-3): 0.5

16

Jörg Meyer, Schoolobservatory Gudensberg, Germany, E-mail: joerg.meyer@planet-interkom.de

19:49 U.T.; CM: 316°
21:30 U.T.; CM: 341°

Jörg Meyer, Schoolobservatory Gudensberg, Germany, E-mail: joerg.meyer@planet-interkom.de

20:10 U.T.; CM: 321°

17

David M. Moore, Phoenix, Arizona;
E-mail: davidpaulamoore@email.msn.com

Sylvain Weiller, St Remy lès Chevreuse, France (Lat 48° 42' N, Long 2° 04' E, 30 Km SW of Paris, France) E-mail: weiller@cochin.inserm.fr.
Quickcam Pro (no infrared blocking filter), 8-in (20 cm) f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain on an SP Perl Vixen equatorial mount, Eyepiece Projection, 26mm Celeston eyepiece. Camera located 22 cm from eyepiece.

21:04 U.T.

18

Ron Zachary, Rochester Hills, Michigan, (83.05° W, 42.38° N), E-mail: rzachary@compuserve.com
Starlight Xpress MX5c; 14-inch (35 cm) f/11 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; Positive Projection at f/44.

03:34:41 U.T.; CM: 62°; Integration time: 0.04s
Seeing: 7/10; Transparency: 5/6.

There is a significant limb brightening (arc) between Sinius Meridian and Cydonia (evening limb). Chryse is fairly bright in red light. A faint east/west cloud is discernable over Tharsis. Could be an Equatorial Cloud Band. North polar cap (NPC) faint surrounded by Mare Boreum with no sign of north polar hood (NPH).

19

Richard W. Wilhelm, Manorville, New York, E-mail: rs-wilhelm@worldnet.att.net.
8" (20.3 cm) f/6 Newtonian.

Seeing: 5/10 (mediocre), transparency: 5/6.

Substantial evening limb cloud activity; area over Moab particularly bright. Extensive haze over southern-most region, prominent in blue light. Chryse/Xanthe bright in red light, with a small area at approximately 45° longitude especially so. The morning limb was not bright. The North Polar Cap (NPC) seemed diffuse, with no clearly defined border, not as bright as during past observations (beginnings of North Polar Hood?). Achillis Pons was easily seen, clearly dividing Mare Acidalia from Niliacus Lacus.

Frank J. Melillo, Holtsville, New York, FrankJ12@aol.com

Denis Fell, New Sweden, Alberta, Canada (113.16°W, 52.55°N), email:dfell@telusplanet.net
Astrovid 1000 CCD camera, 8-in (20cm) f/10 SCT, Negative projection f/30, Wratten #21 orange filter. Processed with Snappy, SuperFix and Micrografx Photomagic.

04:30 to 05:10 UT, CM: 54° to 64°.
Martian diameter 12.43"; D_e: 22.91, Phase 0.902

Seeing: Antoniadi III.
Darkest feature Mare Acidalium, Niliacus Lacus, Margaritifer Sinus. North is up. As Mars is well into the west at sunset and we do not have darkness at this latitude in summer until August this will be one of my last images.

Jörg Meyer, Schoolobservatory Gudensberg, Germany, E-mail: joerg.meyer@planet-interkom.de

19:55 U.T.; CM: 289°

Jörg Meyer, Schoolobservatory Gudensberg, Germany, E-mail: joerg.meyer@planet-interkom.de

20:10 U.T.; CM: 321°

20

Richard W. Wilhelm, Manorville, New York, E-mail: rs-wilhelm@worldnet.att.net.
8" (20.3 cm) f/6 Newtonian.

Seeing: 7/10, transparency: 4/6.

Observation began with a light high cirrus and cirrostratus cloud cover, yielding surprisingly good seeing. Ironically, seeing became worse after their passage. Prominent evening limb arcs. Extensive haze over southern-most region (SPH proper?), in blue light the brightest area on the disk. Chryse/Xanthe moderately bright in red light, with the small area of accentuated brightness noted during 6-19 observation still visible. Some brightness noted over Tempe, otherwise morning limb not bright. NPC continues to appear diffuse and dull, but somewhat more clearly defined than 6-19 (better seeing?). Sinus Meridiani exhibited classic two-pronged fork. Boreosyrtis easily seen. Oxia Palus noted in moments of best seeing, otherwise not much detail visible in Erythraeum region. Achillis Pons still prominent. Albedo features were strong in blue-green light.

21

Nelson Falsarella, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP, BRAZIL; E-mail: nfalsarella@riopreto.com.br
International Mars Patrol, Rede de Astronomia Observacional, REA-Brazil
AVA ASTROVID 400 CCD Videocamera; 8-in (20cm) f/6.5 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection with a MEADE Series 3000 Plossl 5mm.

22

Marco Eckstein, Roedental, Germany, E-mail: starlight@coburg.baynet.de
Hitachi Hi8 Videocamera; 8-inch (20 cm) Schmidt-Cass. (LX-10); Eyepiece Projection with a 10mm Plossl (200x).
~20:40 UT; CM 272°

Seeing: average (5/10). Weather conditions: clear sky with some cumulus (1/10).
North Polar cap is easily seen with bright evening clouds over Elysium. There is probably no dust activity. Hellas is much fainter as in the last months. The South Polar Hood is also fainter. I could not detect Nodus Alcyonius due to seeing or telescope resolution (?).

Jörg Meyer, Schoolobservatory Gudensberg, Germany, E-mail: joerg.meyer@planet-interkom.de

19:50 U.T.; CM: 260°

23

Bob Bunge, Bowie, Maryland, E-mail: rbunge@radix.net
20-inch (50 cm) f/6.4 reflector, 200/270x
02:00 UT
Seeing 9 out of 10. Excellent seeing. Air temp. of 66° F., no wind, very transparent, no clouds.

North Polar cap seen under a north polar hood. Small southern extension of the north polar hood seen sticking up into the Ismenius Lacus region. Sinus Sabaeus darkest feature, although at 480x in moments of great seeing, features in Syrtis Major, right on the limb, were clearly seen.

Stefan Buda & Bratislav Curcic, Melbourne, Australia (5km from the city centre).
Homemade CB211 clone CCD with a mechanical shutter; 10-in. (25.4 cm) f/16 Dall-Kirkham (homemade) + 3X Barlow (effective f/48). No filters.

Sylvain Weiller, St Remy lès Chevreuse, France (Lat 48° 42' N, Long 2° 04' E, 30 Km SW of Paris, France) E-mail: weiller@cochin.inserm.fr.
Quickcam Pro (no infrared blocking filter), 8-in (20 cm) f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain on an SP Perl Vixen equatorial mount, Eyepiece Projection, 26mm Celeston eyepiece. Camera located 22 cm from eyepiece.

20:29 U.T.

Jörg Meyer, Schoolobservatory Gudensberg, Germany, E-mail: joerg.meyer@planet-interkom.de

20:55 U.T.; CM: 266°

The SPH is fainter as in the last days. Hyblaeus Extension is easily to detect, but Nodus Alcyonis is difficult.

24

Richard W. Wilhelm, Manorville, New York, E-mail: rs-wilhelm@worldnet.att.net.
8" (20.3 cm) f/6 Newtonian.

Seeing: 8/10, transparency: 4/6.

South Polar Haze (SPH) and Hellas bright and distinct, separated by Hellespontus. Evening limb clouds/haze extending from southern Libya to Utopia. North Polar Cap still diffuse - the haze covering the North Polar region appears to be expanding in size - an apparent extension was visible reaching southwest toward the northern border of Mare Acidalium. Morning limb appeared distinctly dark. The broad subtle albedo feature over Cydonia east of Mare Acidalium no doubt contributed to this effect, as did contrast with the bright evening limb and the shaded morning terminator. Ismenius Lacus visible during moments of best seeing. Albedo features were very strong in blue light, approaching the visibility as seen in red.

Frank J. Melillo, Holtsville, New York, FrankJ12@aol.com

David M. Moore, Phoenix, Arizona;
E-mail: davidpaulamoore@email.msn.com

Thomas J. Richards, Woodridge Observatory, Melbourne, Australia E-mail: Tom@qsr.com.au
ST-7 Camera; 7-inch (18 cm) Astro-Physics Refractor at f/29.5; Positive Projection with Sonnar Projectiv 20mm. EFL:14000mm. Composite of 8 frames.

08:38 U.T.
L_s: 160°; D_e: 22.5°; Diameter: 12.0”; Phase: 0.90
Integration time: 0.11 sec.; Composite of 53 images; red filter + IR-rejection.
Seeing: 7/10 (ALPO); Transparency: 4/5; North down, preceding left.

North Polar cap minimal, showing Chasma Boreale or dark rim. Acidalius-Ascuris dark, extending to Arcadia. Nilokeras large, extending to Lunae Lacus. Tempe bright, as is a band from Eden through Chryse. Oxus is prominently dark, though it may be contrast. South Polar Hood covers south parts of Margaritifer and Aurorae Sinus. Tithonius Lacus appears to bend round to Solis Lacus. Tharsis shows bands.

Lorenzo Comolli, Gruppo Astronomico Tradatese, Tradate (VA), Italy. Email: comolli@dido.net
ST-4 camera; 8-inch (20 cm) Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; Projection at f/27.

20:00 U.T.; CM: 244°
Average of 20 images; Elaborated with Qmips32 v1.8.

Sylvain Weiller, St Remy lès Chevreuse, France (Lat 48° 42' N, Long 2° 04' E, 30 Km SW of Paris, France) E-mail: weiller@cochin.inserm.fr.
Quickcam Pro (no infrared blocking filter), 8-in (20 cm) f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain on an SP Perl Vixen equatorial mount, Eyepiece Projection, 26mm Celeston eyepiece. Camera located 22 cm from eyepiece.

20:43 U.T.

I have been surprised by the possibilities of the Quickcam Pro for taking planetary shots because even if its price is twice the price of the Quickam VC, it is still very affordable. The CCD is much bigger permitting easy location of planets without an expensive flip mirror and the colors are said to be internally 10bits/channel! I am convinced that anybody using this camera with a telescope larger than 8" telescope and a good site with low air turbulence would be very delighted with the results! For better SN ratio (less dark noise), the QCam is slightly refrigerated with a soda can cooler (as discribed in Astrocam).

Images are taken as follows to minimize air turbulence: The USB camera software is set in its movie mode. Contrast, luminosity, color saturation, exposure time of individual images and frame size are optimized for the fastest exposure (less air turbulence) that still gives acceptable quality. Images are taken for a few moments (30 seconds to a few minutes) and a dark frame (done by obscuration of the front of the SCT dew protector with a black panel) is done before the end. AVI images (50 to 1000Mb) is then zipped (around 95% without information loss due to the small size of Mars on the image!) for later processing.

Processing: The AVI image is studied frame by frame (same way as in the old technique with videocams and 'scopes). What I consider acceptably good (for my setup) images with low air turbulence are captured (1% of images or less in general). The dark frame is subtracted. Then with a few selected images, color separation in RVB, ondelette filtering, registration and addition and RVB reconstruction is done with Prism.

Nelson Falsarella, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP, BRAZIL; E-mail: nfalsarella@riopreto.com.br
International Mars Patrol, Rede de Astronomia Observacional, REA-Brazil
AVA ASTROVID 400 CCD Videocamera; 8-in (20cm) f/6.5 Newtonian, Eyepiece Projection with a MEADE Series 3000 Plossl 5mm.

25

Friedrich Sussmann, St. Radegund, Austria, (15.50 E, 47.15 N), E-mail: friedrich.sussmann@iic.wifi.at
OES-LCCD11 Camera (KAF 400 Chip); 12-inch (300mm) f/7 Homemade Newtonian; Positive Projection with Sonnar Projectiv 20mm. EFL:14000mm. Composite of 8 frames.

18:30 U.T. (left); 18:50 U.T. (center); 19:28 U.T. (right).
Seeing: 4/10 (Bad)

Integration times:
  Red Image:    0.25s
  Green Image: 0.50s
  Blue Image:   3.00s

Jörg Meyer, Schoolobservatory Gudensberg, Germany, E-mail: joerg.meyer@planet-interkom.de

20:17 U.T.; CM: 239°

António Cidadão, Oeiras, Portugal
ST-5C camera 10-in (25cm) f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain

Seeing conditions were unfavourable (3/10), and I had to use the camera in low resolution mode (2x binning, that is 20 micrometer square "super"-pixels).

Clouds over Utopia, apparently faint ECB, and bright limb arc. North Polar hood apparently visible with the B filter. No North Polar Cap could be discriminated with the R filter (hood? poor seeing conditions?)

26

Bob Bunge, Bowie, Maryland, E-mail: rbunge@radix.net
4.25-inch (10.5 cm) f/10 reflector, 225x

1:30 U.T.

Seeing 8 out of 10. Pretty good seeing. Air temp. of 78° F., light wind, not very transparent, no clouds.

Dark area in the center part of Syrtis Major seen, as well as splits off to Mare Serpentis and Sinus Sabaeus. Hellas region was a little bright, but not much brighter than the rest of the bright areas of the planet. Some detail seen in Utopia and Protonitus. North Polar hood not noticed.

Ron Zachary, Rochester Hills, Michigan, (83.05° W, 42.38° N), E-mail: rzachary@compuserve.com
Starlight Xpress MX5c; 14-inch (35 cm) f/11 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; Positive Projection at f/44. Color separations performed using MaxIm DL software.

02:07:43 U.T.; CM: 323°; Integration time: 0.28s
Seeing: 6-8/10; Transparency: 4/6.

Thomas J. Richards, Woodridge Observatory, Melbourne, Australia E-mail: Tom@qsr.com.au
ST-7 Camera; 7-inch (18 cm) Astro-Physics Refractor at f/29.5; Positive Projection. Composite of 50 frames.

08:38 U.T.
L_s: 161°; D_e: 22.7°; Diameter: 11.9”; Phase: 0.89
Integration time: 0.11 sec.; red filter + IR-rejection.
Seeing: 7/10 (ALPO); Transparency: 4/5; North down, preceding left.

North Polar cap minimal, popssibly showing Chasma Boreale or dark rim. Acidalius-Ascuris dark. Nilokeras large, extending to Lunae Lacus. Cydonia-Moab bright - evening cloud? Oxus is prominently dark. A light spot shows on the limb in the western end of Deucalionis Regio, though it may be an artefact. South Polar Hood does not seem quite as extensive as in the image 1999-06-24, two days earlier.

António Cidadão, Oeiras, Portugal
ST-5C camera 10-in (25cm) f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain

Seeing conditions continued to be unfavourable (3/10), and I had to use the camera in low resolution mode (2x binning, that is 20 micrometer square "super"-pixels) except fot the red frame obtained at 20:39 UT (high-res settings - 10 micrometer pixels).

Clouds over Utopia, apparently faint ECB, and bright limb arc. North Polar hood apparently visible with the B filter. A tiny North Polar Cap apparently discriminated with the R filter (slightly better seeing conditions than on June 25?)

27

No Images.

28

Lorenzo Comolli, Gruppo Astronomico Tradatese, Tradate (VA), Italy. Email: comolli@dido.net
ST-4 camera; 8-inch (20 cm) Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; Projection at f/27.

20:35 U.T.; CM: 215°
Average of 20 images; Elaborated with Qmips32 v1.8.

29

J. Porto, Azores

30

Ramiro Hernandez, Saltillo, Mexico, E-mail: rhernand@campus.sal.itesm.mx
Electrim CCD camera; 8-inch (20 cm) f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Meade

02:20 UT, CM: 291°.
Integration time: 0.200s; 5-frame average.

Ron Zachary, Rochester Hills, Michigan, (83.05° W, 42.38° N), E-mail: rzachary@compuserve.com
Starlight Xpress HX516; 14-inch (35 cm) f/11 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; Positive Projection at f/44.

02:34 U.T. (top); CM: 292.53°; Seeing: 5.5
02:39 U.T. (bottom); CM: 293.75°; Seeing: 7.5
Transparency: 4/6.

North Polar Hood bright - probable reforming of North Polar Cap. Northeastern limb arc bright extending from North Polar Cap past Elysium to Mare Cimmerium with significant development near Cebrenia (close to the Viking II landing site). Syrtis Major prominent. Hellas region very bright (top). Cloud band extending from Mare Serpentis through Iapygia and into Libya. This cloud obsures much of Mare Serpentis and has a faint ridge extending into southern Aeria. Best seen in bottom image. Suspect high altitude ice crystals?? No Equatorial Cloud Bands detected. Areas west of 340° Long. near terminator darkened by low sun angle. No morning clouds or frost detected.

Technical data: The MX5c is a single shot color camera. To obtain R,G,B images a tricolor split was performed using MaxIm DL software. When using a Celestron 14" (3950mm) scope the optimum f-stop-to-pixel size (9x12 microns) ratio is f32. However, given Mars small size (11.5") a higher f-stop was required to get better planet detail. Therefore, at f-44, these images are slightly over-sampled.

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