Mars in 2008

Mars Images from May 13, and May 08, 2008

Details are very blurry, even the NPC is very vague. Clear skies have been few and far between and the seeing has been very poor. Here’s to the 2009/2010 Mars apparition. A total of 56 imaging sessions completed with the majority in 2007. Good seeing. Jim Melka

Clouds dominate Don Parker's excellent images using a 16-inch Newt, Astrodon filters and a Skynyx 2-0 camera. Bright terminator cloud over Tharsis extending eastward to Chryse. An equatorial cloud band also visible.

Mars Images from April 23rd and May 04, 2008

Color image on the left recorded by Jim Melka and Jim Moody with a 16-inch LX 200 in Jim Moody’s observatory.

Poor seeing did not hinder us in recording ice clouds as a whitish haze over many parts of Mars. The images on the right with my 12-inch Newt show a similar scene with the addition of 2 equatorial cloud bands. Jim Melka

Possible Thinning of NPC Visible in April 21st images.

The DBK color image shows that the NPC appears to be thinning at its Eastern (left) and Western (right) extremities. The green filter is the key to showing low altitude clouds speculated to be sublimated ice-gases in a warming Northern Spring environment. It matches the breadth of the NPC in color. The red image indicates the solid ice extent of the NPC. A lesser amount of NPC thinning in the April 15th images. Jim Melka

Dust cloud in Western Aetheria recorded in April 15th images.

What looks like a dust cloud near the Northeastern limb appears as a deeper and brighter hue than the surrounding desert in the color image. And it is very bright in red light. The coordinates of the cloud are 44.5N and 252W which is an area known as Aetheria. Good seeing. Jim Melka

Mars images from April 6th, 2008 using a 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Only 2 imaging sessions this month due to bad weather and persistent cloudy nites. These images shows a lot of cloudiness on Mars as well. The South Polar Hood of clouds at the top seems to be pretty much in place. Good seeing to all, Jim Melka

Mars images from Feb 21, 2008 using a 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Images recorded near the end of the Total Lunar eclipse in very transparent skies but the seeing was only fair. Good seeing. Jim Melka

Mars images from Feb 14 and 11, 2008 using a 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Mars is shrinking fast in size and brightness. It has decreased in size about 40% from its maximum two months ago. This coupled with normally poor seeing three or four hours after sunset make imaging surface and cloud features more difficult. The north polar cap should be observed as its frozen surface CO2 migrates to the south polar regions. Good seeing. Jim Melka

Mars images from Feb 3rd 2008 using a 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Clouds stretch across the deep southern regions shown at the top of the color and blue images. Dark features in Syrtis Major match Jan 28th image. Clouds over most of Morning limb on the right. Elysium Mons shows as a bright spot near lower left limb in all images. Good seeing. Jim Melka

Mars images from Jan 28 & 25, 2008 using a 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Color image shows haze over Tyrrhenum & Antarctic clouds. Blue 22 minutes later shows clouds over entire evening (left) limb except Tyrrhenum. NPC at bottom. Dim haze over entire morning limb. Good seeing, Jim Melka

Cloud over S.W. Noachis & haze over entire morning (right) limb. Limb clouds over N.W Ausonia & NPC at bottom. Noachis is very dark. Jim Melka

Mars images from Jan 23, 2008 using 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Poor seeing doesn’t hinder recording clouds shown in color and blue images. Good seeing. Jim Melka

Mars image from Jan 20, 2008 using 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Broad white clouds are seen in Mare Boreum & Nerigos lower right extending all around the morning limb and really broadening in the antarctic regions at the top. The impact basin Argyre is clouded over with bright clouds. Good seeing, Jim

Mars image from Jan 16, 2008 using 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

Solis Lacus a bit above and to right of center is still cut in half by bright ground dust. Clouds to its southwest cover almost half of the Sirenum Extension, almost all of Aonius Sinus and Chrysokeras and up near the South pole. To the southeast Argyre is cloud covered. Parts of Mare Acidalium and Boreum are cloud covered. Good seeing. Jim Melka

Mars images from Jan 3, 2008 using 12-inch Newtonian Telescope

There is white cloud activity over much of the Southern hemisphere at the Central Meridians imaged. There are still remnants of the north polar hood, but the north polar cap looks to be filled in to the pole. Good seeing, Jim Melka

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