Mars Dust Storm.

[Paul G. Abel]

Greetings all, there appears to be a small dust storm in Baltia region. Let's get some good visual observations of this!

If you get some good images/drawings send them on to Richard McKim at the Mars section of the BAA.

Best wishes,

-Paul.

[russ]

Sadly we need to get rid of the storm clouds on Earth to see the dust storm on Mars. And the weather forecast is poor. If by chance we get a clear spell, i will give it a try.

[DarkerSky]

Thanks for the heads up on that Paul. I make Baltia about Long. 80 and Lat.+65N, so that puts it just on the following edge of Mare Acidalium. Is that right?

[Towa]

Last night as the Acidilium was coming onto the disk, I noticed a very bright marking/patch (on the limb) extending from Tempe up towards the edge of the NPC, I thought it was a cloud, because it was very bright. Could this have been the dust storm?

[Starman]

This is the main dust streak, crossing the NPC on Feb 1st...

http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/Mars/2010-02-01_21-40-22_RGB-100pcnt.jpg

[Paul G. Abel]

Quite right Pete! What I should have said is that it appears to be starting in the Baltia and is spreading accross (proc. direction) the bright NPC. It should be clear here tonight so I shall make some drawings!

Best wishes,

-Paul.

[Paul G. Abel]

Towa,

I don't think this was the dust storm, may have been just a bright morning cloud. The dust storm is passing over the NPC as can be seen in Pete's image above. All quite exciting though!

[Towa]

That's what had me thinking Paul, the object I observed was white,

yet I think the dust storms are more yellow if i'm correct?

[Paul G. Abel]

That's right Towa, they tend to be a yellowish colour.

[Beulah]

Paul,

If I get a clear sky, I will certainly try to observe and record this. Slowly falling in love with Mars, such an elusive but rewarding planet to study.

[russ]

Paul,

If I get a clear sky, I will certainly try to observe and record this. Slowly falling in love with Mars, such an elusive but rewarding planet to study.

That's my feeling too. Mars doesn't have the instant wow factor of Saturn and the features aren't quite as obvious as they are on Jupiter, not to mention the disk is a lot smaller. But there's something more rewarding about observing Mars. Perhaps because it is a little harder to see those features, and the extra time/patience needed.

It's been a great opposition too despite the small apparent size. For me, far more enjoyable than the highly frustrating 2003 opposition.

Russ

[chrisrnuttall]

i like mars because it's a bit like looking at earth, there are clouds, mists, polar caps, red seas and black continents, and it is different every time you look. it's kind of more tangible than a gas planet, and you can learn your way around it.

however my scope has nearly healed over with all the cloud lately!