96/97 report 020

1996/97 Mars Observation Reports -- # 020--

OAA MARS SECTION

- Monthly Report published in CMO #198 -

25 December 1997


- - - by Masatsugu MINAMI, Director of the OAA Mars Section ---

We have just received an observation recently made by SCHMUDE to chase the dust cloud phenomenon reported in the IMW Electronic Newsletter (see this issue)

 SCHMUDE, Richard W, Jr (RSc)  GA, USA
    1 Drawing  (10 December 1997)     570× 51cm speculum

The apparent diameter was 4.5", while the altitude was very low. The season was 233°Ls, and well deep for a large dust cloud to occur. The central latitude was 12°S. RSc watched from 22:40GMT to 23:04GMT at around ω=272°W, but no positive sign of the global cloud was observed. No extremely bright features were there including the spr. The southern dark markings looked diffused but were present and the northern hemisphere was much brighter. See LtE for more about his impression.

We further received a lot of TP and CCD images made earlier by Y MORITA (Mo) whose preceding report was received last January (#184 p1990). His first report this season was reported in #180 (25 Oct 1996). These previous ones were made of TP photos, but at the end of 1996 he began to change to take the pictures by a CCD camera and hence he was not ready to communicate. This time he finished to print out his images made up until the end of March 1997 as follows, and he will soon send us the rest (upto 21 July 1997).

 MORITA, Yukio  (Mo)   Hatsuka-ichi, Hiroshima, Japan
    13 B&W Photos  (24, 25 Nov; 3, 11 - 15, 23, 27 Dec 1996; 3, 4, 11 Jan 1997)      
                        f/100 25cm speculum TP2415
    91 CCD Images  (27, 29, 31 Dec 1996; 11, 15, 18, 19, 25 Jan; 1, 7, 8, 14, 19, 22, 23, 24 Feb; 
                           1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 30, 31 Mar 1997)
                        f/50 25cm speculum  Mutoh CU-04
MORITA's report this time covers more than four months including the opposition day, and very thick: the TP photo reports consist of 192 photos, and to make 91 numbers of CCD reports a total of 566 CCD images are used.

On the TP (developed by Rodinal 1:80) prints, the npc and such dark markings as M Acidalium are evident on 13 Dec (050°Ls) when app diam = 07.0". Chryse light near the morning terminator at ω=050°W in Int. The npc taken on 3 Jan (060°Ls) at ω=208°W is clear.

On 27 Dec MORITA took both by the TP and the CCD: TP looks better yet but the exposure time was decreased to 1/10. At the end of the year Syrtis Mj was seen well.

On 19 Jan (067°Ls), M Acidalium appeared.

On 1 Feb (072°Ls), Syrtis Mj was shot again and Utopia also dark. The B image through B390 is poor and even the npc is unclear.

On 7 Feb (075°Ls) at ω=242°W, Syrtis Mj is in the morning side and the morning limb light through a G filter. In R, The Aetheria dark patch is seen and in G, Elysium a bit light.

On 8 Feb (075°Ls) at ω=200°W, Syrtis Mj is not seen yet , but at ω=233°W, it is well inside. Elysium is still seen in R.

On 22 Feb (082°Ls) at ω= 070°W, the npc looks small but clear in G, while weaker in R. The area of Solis L is unclear yet (app diam δ=11.7").

On 23 Feb (082°Ls) at ω= 032°W, the npc is clear in R, and Hyperboreus L is detected. S Meridiani is dark near the evening terminator. Good images at ω=052°W (Nilokeras visible) and at ω=073°W.

The image on 24 Feb (082°Ls) at ω= 035°W is also good in R.

As March came in, the apparent diameter attained 13.3". On 1 Mar (085°Ls) at ω=009°W, Oxia P is evident and Hyperboreus L dark.

On 3 Mar at ω=330°W and ω=340°W, Ismenius L is a dark spot preceding Deuteronilus in R. M Acidalium is also dark but the B & G images dull. At ω=358°W, Tempe looks roundish light near the morning limb in R.

On 5 Mar, the images are good at ω=329°& ω= 340°W.

On 11 Mar (089°Ls) at ω=239°W, Elysium and Cebrenia are light in a shape of heart in R. Utopia looks to have begun faded. Same at ω=250°W and at ω=259°W. In B, Hellas in the morning looks somewhat light. Observed upto ω=270°W the day. N Alcyonius is checked in R.

On 17 Mar (092°Ls) at ω=184°W, Propontis I and a spot at its eastern side as well as the Aetheria dark patch are evident, and Cebrenia is well light in R. Cerberus is weak but well seen in R. Similarly at ω=194°W. At ω=211°W, Elysium is well light in R (dull however in B).

On 19 Mar (093°Ls, app diam = 14.2") at ω=185°W Alba visible light at the evening limb in R.

On 20 Mar (093°Ls, app diam = 14.2") at ω=142°W, Olympus Mons is a bit seen through B. He took at ω=151°W, ω=162°W, 170°W, 180°W, 190°W, 200°W and at ω=210°W. Such dark markings as Propontis I were taken but the images are weak in the white areas.

On 22 Mar (094°Ls) at ω=164°W, Elysium is light near the morning terminator in R.

On 24 Mar (095°Ls) at ω=105°W, Solis L and M Acidalium are dark near the evening limb. The R image at ω=116°W is excellent to the extent that Nilokeras is visible near the evening limb and at the opposite morning side Propontis I is coming. Alba evident and other white spots a bit seen. The npc is also quite definitely mapped. Alba still evident also at ω=126°W in R.

At the end of March M Acidalium came, but the seeing was unstable until 31 Mar (098°Ls).

The image at ω=061°W on 31 Mar is good: In the south, Solis L is coming and in the north, Hyperboreus L dark definite. The description of M Acidalium is also good. At ω=070°W, Solis L is completely visible. Opir-Candor bright even through G. The morning side is not detailed however.


Reports will be acknowledged if air-mailed to M MINAMI at Mikuni
(ask the mail-address through vzv03210@niftyserve.or.jp ) .

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