LtE in CMO #246,247,248,249

From Donald C PARKER

@. . . . . . . . . .Here are some Mars images from 17 June and 18 June .

Best,

(20 June 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 17 June, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/43.7 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 4.00-8.80s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 1.40-2.80s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.30-0.60s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Conditions poor due to frequent clouds: Seeing fair (5-7, Pickering).

Transparency variable, 3-5m. No wind. Moderate dew. Altitude = 33 degrees.

Conspicuous N. polar clouds. SPH small with SPC visible in red light. Elysium bright in red and green but not blue light. Trivium-Cerberus still only two dots. Little cloud activity except at the poles. Moderate to strong blue clearing.

MARS IMAGES 18 June, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/43.7 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 4.40s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 1.52s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.30s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing fair (5-6, Pickering). Transparency variable, 4-5m. No wind.

No dew. Altitude = 37-36 degrees.

@. . . . . . . . . .More Mars images attached. -- Am beginning to catch up!

Best,

(24 June 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 11 June, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/43.7 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 4.00-5.20s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 1.60-2.60s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.28-0.44s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing fair (5-6, Pickering). Transparency variable, 3.5-5m with cloud

bands. No wind. Light dew. Altitude = 37-32 degrees.

Conspicuous N. polar cloud. SPC visible in red light; SPR very bright in Blue. Elysium not bright despite being on the pm limb. Light cloud over Libya and Aeria. Cloud over Deucalionis. Hellas deviod of cloud and frost. Moderate to strong blue clearing.

MARS IMAGES 14 June, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/43.7 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 3.60s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 1.36s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.30s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing poor (4, Pickering). Transparency good, 5m. SSE wind 0-8 kts. No dew.

Altitude = 37 degrees.

Conspicuous N. polar cloud. Elysium bright in red and green but not in blue.

Light cloud over Libya. Hellas deviod of cloud and frost. Moderate to strong blue clearing on CCD and visually with W-47.

@. . . . . . . . . .Here are more images from yesterday. The seeing remains poor. North polar clouds increasing. Best,

(26 June 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 24 June, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/43.7 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 6.00-6.80s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 2.60s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.52s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing very poor (2-3, Pickering). Transparency only 3-4m due to haze.

No wind. Heavy dew. Altitude = 31 degrees.

Conspicuous N. polar cloud - hood forming? Bright cloud on NE limb over Arcadia. Very weak orographic over Olympus Mons. Tharsis orographics on PM limb with light haze extending over Memnonia.

@ . . . . . . . .Congratulations on the excellent work you, Kumamori, and Morita have done.. I just gave a lecture at our Planetarium on Mars and stated that people didn't have to watch for dust, since this is the season where the lowest incidence of such storms has occurred! Naturally, Mars foiled us again!

I don't recall similar storms as far as their progression. In 1986 there was a localized storm that started in Hellas but progressed north and west over Sabaeus Sinus into Aeria. In 1971 there was a storm that started in Hellas and gradually moved into Hesperia.

Tan Wei Leong has some nice images I just received showing extension into Libya and near eastern Syrtis on 28 June. Interestingly, when we were in the Florida Keys June 4-9, we commented on the fact that Syrtis Minor and Tyrrhenum appeared very weak. I merely attributed this to some haze near the evening limb, but in retrospect, maybe this was a precursor appearance on the storm? Subsequent observations revealed these regions to be fairly normal but with little detail on the floor of Hellas. Some brightening in Ausonia was seen around 18 June. On 24 June there was a bright nodule on the SW limb -- possibly the eastern extent of the storm in Hesperia on that date, but I wouldn't bet my house on it!

The reason I point out these things is that perhaps we Mars observers (me, at least!) are a bit too complacent at times, calling areas "normal for the season" and ignoring reports by less "experienced" observers of subtle changes that may well herald dust storms. It would be nice to be able to predict these events a few days ahead of the outbreaks, but I don't know if such signs exist. Mars makes us humble!

Well, enough rambling, since it is nearly 3:00 AM here. Again, congratulations to the members of the OAA for the fine images.

Best regards,

P.S. It looks like the storm is still extending, so I agree in alerting the European observers.

(29 June 2001 email)

@ . . . . . . . . I have attached images from this morning and from 3 July. There seems to be some dust clouds in NE Thaumasia and Ophir, with obscuration of Aurorae Sinus and the Tithonius complex. Also a streak in S. Chryse. Will try to get better seeing tonight!

(6 July 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 3 July, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/43.7 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 3.72s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 1.36s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.30s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing poor (4-5, Pickering). Transparency 0-5m due to frequent fast cumulus.

Wind ENE 2-15 kts. No dew. Altitude = 35-37 degrees.

NP Hood bright. SPC thin on limb, brilliant. Albedo features somewhat washed out.. possibly due to poor seeing. Solis LAcus very dark on am limb.

Clouds in Chryse, Candor, and pm limb. Note very bright cloud on SW limb over Claritas.

MARS IMAGES 5 July, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/35.6 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 3.00s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 1.02s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.22-0.32s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing poor (4-5, Pickering). Transparency 1-4m due to high haze – post tropical wave. No wind. No dew. Altitude = 37 degrees.

NP Hood bright. SPC thin on limb, brilliant. Albedo features washed out.. possibly due to poor seeing. Clouds in Chryse and pm limb.

NOTE: Features in Ophir, Tithonius, Ganges very weak. Aurorae S. appears truncated. Nectar and Bosporus dark. Solis Lacus dark on am limb.

Possible dust in Ophir and NE Thaumasia and S. Chryse.

@ . . . . . . . . .Here are some more Mars images (on 30 June). Best,

(6 July 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 30 June, 2000

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) F/6 NEWTONIAN

Eyepiece Projection @ f/36.0

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 2.00-3.60s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.60-1.60s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.14-0.28s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing fair to good (6-7, Pickering) Transparency poor and variable (2-4m)

with cloud bands. SE wind, 0-1 kts. Altitude = 35-32 degrees. No dew.

Dust still obscuring much of Sirenum M. Titanum S. barely visible. However,

Olympus Mons visible through the dust. Propontis very dark.

PM limb bright in red and green. NPH large, dull.

NOTE: Anomalous albedo feature in Daedalia -- very dark near PM limb.

@ . . . . . . . . Just a quick note that the dust storm noted in Daedalia on 3-4 July by De Groff, M Valimberti, D. Moore, and T. Parker has expanded to Thaumasia.

Multiple nodules are noted covering western Aurorae S., Ophir, and the Tithonius complex. Bosporus and Nectaris P. remain dark, but dust clouds noted in southern and western Thaumasia, curving around and partially obscuring Solis Lacus and extending northward into Tharsis. The N. hemisphere is largely unaffected. Red light images attached. Will send more when I wake up!

Best,

(6 July 2001 email 17:01 JST)

@. . . . . . . Dear Masatsugu, It appears that the storm has extended into Thaumasia. I don't know whether this is an extension of the previous storm or a separate outbreak. These things sometimes are multifocal, as in 1990. It is now pretty much planet encircling! The N. Hemisphere appears to be spared. Now it's our turn to lose sleep!

I e-mailed Jim Bell about the HST imaging the storm. He replied that they won't be able to get time on the HST until August, if at all! So it's up to us.

More later -- thanks for the great job ou have done in coordinating and reporting observations.

Best

(6 July 2001 at 17:10 JST email)

@. . . . . . . Attached image from tonight (9 July) reveals Meridiani Sinus largely obscured by dust. Last night it looked normal visually -- will send drawing later. Seeing was very poor on both 8 and 9 July. Is this a new storm arising in Deucalionis-Edom, or is it an extension of the existing storms? Chryse seems to be involved, as Oxia Palus has weakened significantly in past 24 hours.

(9 July 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 7 July, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/35.6 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 2.60s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.90s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.21s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing good (6-8, Pickering). Transparency 4.5-5.5 between occasional

clouds. Wind ENE-ESE 0-7 kts. No dew. Altitude = 36-35 degrees.

Dust clouds in Thaumasia, Ophir, and over Aurorae Sinus. Solis lacus

very faint. Nectar faintly visible through dust clouds.

Bright streak in Edom; Moab bright. NPH large, conspicuous with albedo

features showing through it. SPC barely discernable. Note yellow streaks

in Deucalionis.

MARS IMAGES 9 July, 2001

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) Meade SCT

Eyepiece Projection @ f/35.6 Paramount GT 1100S Mount

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 2.60s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.90s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.21s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing very poor (2-3, Pickering). Transparency variable: 4.5-5.0 between frequent clouds. No wind. No dew. Altitude = 37 degrees.

NOTE: Meridiani Sinus now largely obscured by dust. Sabaeus S. thin.

Arabia-Moab very bright. Syrtis Major seen through PM limb haze, well seen visually earlier at 0200 UT. Limb haze does not appear to be rotating. Deucalionis very yellowish. A cloud appears to partially cover Serpentis M. Oxia P. very weak compared to previous nights. Is this a separate storm originating in Deucalionis-Edom?

@. . . . . . . Have attached some Mars images from this morning taken with the Newtonian. Dust continues to obscure much of Mars southern hemisphere.

(13 July 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 13 July, 2000

D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) F/6 NEWTONIAN

Eyepiece Projection @ f/38.7

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 1.92s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.64s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.16s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing good (6-7, Pickering). Transparency good (5m). West wind, 0-3 kts.

Altitude = 33-37 degrees. No dew.

Dust continues, but mainly limited to northern hemisphere: planet-encircling.

Large dust cloud in Hellas with fingers extending northward over Hadriacum, Iapygia, Ionium. Cloud across Crocea. Note western border of Syrtis Major bright with possible anomalous albedo features in eastern Aeria. Antigones F. conspicuous, with Astaboras glimpsed. Protonilus, Coloe P. dark, while Sabaeus Sinus, Serpentis M., Deltoton S., Yaonis, Hellespontus, and Syrtis Minor largely obscured. Pityusa In. very dark near S. limb.

NPH remains conspicuous, while SPC barely visible. Bright cloud on SW limb.

@. . . . . . . . .I have attached Mars images from this morning.

(18 July 2001 email)

MARS IMAGES 18 July, 2000

by D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) F/6 NEWTONIAN

Eyepiece Projection @ f/36.0

Integration Times:

BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 2.20s

GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.66s

RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.15s

Images flat and dark corrected.

Seeing fair (5, Pickering) -- NOTE limb deformnations on images.

Transparency fair (4.0m) with high haze. SE wind, 0-4 kts.

Altitude = 36-34 degrees. No dew.

NPH remains conspicuous, while SPC barely visible. Bright cloud on SW limb. PM limb arc.

Dust still obscuring much of Tyrrhenum, Hadriacum, and Cimmerium Maria.

Eastern Hellas remains obscured but Yaonis, Hellespontus, and Serpentis now showing through. The dust appears to be covering much of the planet except for the high northern latitudes, where the albedo features exhibit normal intensity. NOTE faint large dark patch between Hyblaeus and Alcyonius --perhaps this heralds reappearance of the Laocoontis Complex ???

@ . . . . . . . Here are some Mars images from 30 and 31 July. Very bright dust clouds in E. Daedalia with dark anomalous albedo feature in W. Daedalia. Will this

persist after the storm subsides? -- reminiscent of the Daedalia-Claritas darkening in 1973 - 1976. Best,

(3 August 2001 email)

>MARS IMAGES 30 July, 2000

>D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) F/6 NEWTONIAN

> Eyepiece Projection @ f/36.0

> Integration Times:

> BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 2.00-3.60s

> GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.60-1.60s

> RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.14-0.28s

> Images flat and dark corrected.

>Seeing fair to good (6-7, Pickering) Transparency poor and variable (2-4m)

>with cloud bands. SE wind, 0-1 kts. Altitude = 35-32 degrees. No dew.

> Dust still obscuring much of Sirenum M. Titanum S. barely visible. However,

>Olympus Mons visible through the dust. Propontis very dark.

>PM limb bright in red and green. NPH large, dull.

>NOTE: Anomalus albedo feature in Daedalia -- very dark near PM limb.

>MARS IMAGES 31 July, 2000

>D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) F/6 NEWTONIAN

> Eyepiece Projection @ f/36.0

> Integration Times:

> BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 1.60s

> GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.52s

> RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.12s

> Images flat and dark corrected.

>Seeing fair (5-6, Pickering) Transparency good (5m)

>with cloud bands. ENE-ESE wind, 0-6 kts. Altitude = 37 degrees. No dew.

> VERY bright dust cloud over eastern Daedalia-Claritas, approx. 10-30 deg S,

>124-145 deg W. In addition, anomalous albedo feature (~20-35 deg S, ~ 125-

>145 deg W) in western Daedalia. Will this persist like the Daedalia-Claritas

>darkening of 1973? This appears to follow the course of Araxes.

>Olympus Mons, Arsia, and Ascraeus visible and very prominent in green light.

>Note dark features along western borders of dust cloud -- ?shadows?

@ . . . . . . . Here are some images from 8 August. The dust storm persists, with all albedo features obscured to some degree. Is this a continuation of the original storm or a third storm that started in Thaumasia around 31 July?

Best,

(9 August 2001 email)

>MARS IMAGES 8 AUGUST, 2001

>D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) F/6 NEWTONIAN

> Eyepiece Projection @ f/36.0

> Integration Times:

> BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 1.80s

> GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.58s

> RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.12s

> INFRARED (750-825nm) 1.80s

> Images flat and dark corrected.

>Seeing good (7-8, Pickering) Transparency good (5m) between fast cumulus clouds.

>Wind NE 0-8 kts. Altitude = 37-32 degrees. No dew.

> Dust persists, obscuring much of the S. hemisphere. Northern Acidalium M.

>and the Nilokeras-Achillis Fons complex fairly well seen.

>Note conspicuous N. polar cloud rotating with the planet. NPH disorganized.

>Aurorae Sinus and the Tithonius complex faintly seen, distorted. Thaumasia

>and Solis Lacus still largely covered by dust clouds. Bright PM limb arc and

>south polar clouds.

@ . . . . . . . Here are some images from 9 August. The dust goes on and on! Best,

(10 August 2001 email)

>MARS IMAGES 9 AUGUST, 2001

>D.C. Parker, Coral Gables, FL. Lynxx PC camera 16-in (41cm) F/6 NEWTONIAN

> Eyepiece Projection @ f/36.0

> Integration Times:

> BLUE (Koheisha, 445nm peak central; BWHM 105nm) 1.88s

> GREEN (Koheisha, 540nm peak central; BWHM 75nm) 0.56s

> RED (RG610 - No IR Rejection) 0.12s

> INFRARED (750-825nm) 1.86s

> Images flat and dark corrected.

>Seeing fair (5-6, Pickering) Transparency good (5m) but frequent clouds.

>Wind NE 0-10 kts., gusty. Altitude = 37 degrees. No dew.

> Dust persists, obscuring much of the planet. Even Acidalium M. is largely obscured

>except for its northern part.

>Note conspicuous N. polar clouds rotating with the planet. NPH disorganized.

>Bright evening limb arc and S. polar clouds.

Don PARKER (Miami, FL, USA)
park3232@bellsouth.net

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