O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O->
THE INTERNATIONAL MARSWATCH ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
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Volume 4; Issue 4
April 24, 1999
Circulation: 1492
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Dear Marswatch participant,
Happy opposition!
Four items in this latest (long) installment of the newsletter:
(1) HST Mars observations: April 27 through May 7
(2) Update on the Mars Global Surveyor Antenna Glitch
(3) Latest B.A.A. Mars observing update
(4) Latest A.L.P.O. Mars electronic newsletter
Also, remember that the 1998-1999 Marswatch Web Site is on line! Hundreds and
hundreds of spectacular Mars images and drawings have been uploaded from
observers all around the world, and they keep pouring in daily! To get to the
site, point (and bookmark!) your browser to: http://www.astroleague.org/marswatch/.
Bert Stevens of the Astronomical League is working hard to keep your posted images, ftp
upload/download site, and other information updated.
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(1) HST Mars observations: April 27 through May 7
All of the planned Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of Mars for this
opposition have now been scheduled. HST will observe Mars at four central
meridian longitudes (for full global coverage) between April 27 and May 7
(hopefully the recent failure of one of the HST gyros will not hinder this!).
The exact times when HST will be observing Mars are indicated in the table
below (times are given in Greenwich Mean Time or Universal Time, which is
currently four hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight Time). I am organizing
these observations, and I am *especially* interested in obtaining supporting
groundbased CCD images from amateurs and professionals during the times when
the STIS instrument (Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph) will be observing
Mars. For the times when STIS is observing, we need high quality CCD images
especially in the blue, so that we can determine where clouds, hazes, and
fogs are most likely interfering with our spectroscopic measurements. If
you are able to observe Mars in the blue at these times, we would greatly
appreciate receiving copies of your images and their descriptions!
We will be posting the HST images onto a Web site as soon as we get them
processed.
1999 HST Mars opposition observations
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Visit Instrument Start Time (GMT) End Time (GMT)
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1 WFPC2 Apr 27 1999 17:55:38 Apr 27 1999 18:51:12
2 STIS Apr 27 1999 19:32:20 Apr 27 1999 23:23:27
4 WFPC2 Apr 28 1999 00:22:25 Apr 28 1999 01:17:59
7 WFPC2 May 1 1999 13:47:34 May 1 1999 14:43:08
8 STIS May 1 1999 15:24:53 May 1 1999 19:14:14
5 WFPC2 May 6 1999 11:28:10 May 6 1999 12:22:14
6 STIS May 6 1999 13:04:18 May 6 1999 16:51:20
3 STIS May 7 1999 06:52:54 May 7 1999 10:55:14
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(2) Update on the Mars Global Surveyor Antenna Glitch
On April 15 the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft experienced an "anomaly"
(a glitch) with its main high-gain antenna. Apparently one of the hinges on
the high gain antenna got stuck, meaning that the antenna can only swing
in one direction instead of in two directions. JPL engineers are
troubleshooting the problem, and mapping has been put on hold. The plan is to
continue mapping next week because high speed communications with Earth can
still work for now even if the antenna can only move along one axis. Check out
the April 23 and earlier updates for many more details:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/mgs-readme.html
Also, check out some of the spectacular early mapping data at:
http://www.msss.com/mars/global_surveyor/camera/images/index.html
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(3) Latest B.A.A. Mars observing update
Here is the most recent compilation of telescopic observations to date, from
Richard McKim of the British Astronomical Association. This and earlier
reports can also be found on the B.A.A. Mars reports page, at
http://marswatch.tn.cornell.edu/baa.html.
British Astronomical Association
Mars Section Circular 1998-99, No. 5
General
This Circular summarises the period 1999 March 1- April 15. On Mar 1, Ls =
104 deg., D = 10 arcsec., lat. of centre of disk = 15 deg. N, with the
planet's declination at 13 deg. south. The planet will reach opposition on
April 24 (Ls = 129 deg., D = 16 arcsec., lat. of centre of disk = 18 deg. N,
decl. -12 deg.). The planet was becoming uncomfortably low for UK observers,
but as can be seen, its declination will now be very slightly less southerly.
The UK weather has been less than cooperative during opposition month, but
nevertheless there have been a fair number of observers, including the usual
contributions from overseas that are essential to maintain good longitudinal
coverage. During the present apparition I have had observational data from
the following individuals, and acknowledge it herewith if not already done so
by letter or by email: Leo Aerts, Sally Beaumont, Nicolas Biver, Ed Crandall,
P.Devadas, Mario Frassati, Martin Gaskell, David Gray, Peter Grego, Walter
Haas, Alan Heath, Carlos Hernandez, Frank Melillo, Cliff Meredith, Masatsugu
Minami /OAA, Patrick Moore, Don Parker, Damian Peach, Tom Richards, Richard
Schmude, David Strange, Paolo Tanga, Gerard Teichert, Rowland Topping, Dan
Troiani/ALPO, Johan Warell, Sam Whitby and Jonathan Wojack.
More than one observer has supplied unreadable CCD image files: I do not
always have the software to decode compressed files, and it would sometimes
save time to mail a disc. I would also kindly point out to observers that I
do not always have time to look for images on their personal Websites, much
as I would like to; if you want your images discussed in these reports,
kindly send them along in a readable format!
I am sorry that Dr Ebisawa's health has not been very good, so that he has
not been able to make his usual meticulous visual and polarimetric
observations so far. Is anyone doing polarimetric work this apparition?
Observations
On Mars throughout March and April the N. polar cap remained small. A number
of visual and CCD observations show haze around its S. perimeter. Despite
this haze the outlying bright area of Olympia has been visible. Tanga saw it
from Turin Observatory in fine seeing on April 18. White cloud activity
remains quite high, but the Equatorial Cloud Band phenomenon (ECB) seemed
much less conspicuous in April. The typical sites for white clouds have been
active throughout the whole period, and a few observations will suffice to
illustrate these locations and to describe some other features:
McKim, April 13, 22-cm refl., 2318h UT, CML = 218 deg. Elysium on mid-disk
whitish. Bright am cloud over Libya-Isidis (and Syrtis Major). Hellas a
brighter spot within the light S. limb area. Cebrenia lightish on the CM,
some haze S. of NPC, but cap edge sharp. Some pm cloud over Amazonis, but Nix
Olympica would have rotated off the disk at an earlier hour. The Aetheria
secular darkening remains extensive and dark, and extends somewhat to the SW
as in the last few apparitions. Propontis (I) is dark, and the
Phlegra/Styx-Trivium Charontis-Cerberus complex, though not dark, was easy to
see.
Meredith, April 14, 22-cm refl., 2355h UT, CML = 218 deg. CCD image much like
McKim's visual drawing above. (Cliff's first really successful CCD work,
well done to him.)
Parker, March 7, 0.4-m refl., ca. 0735h UT, CM = 321 deg. Evening cloud dims
Syrtis Major, extending across it from Libya to Aeria! The evening Hellas is
bright. Morning cloud occupies Chryse and partly hides SW Mare Acidalium.
Haze south of the NPC.
Parker, March 12, ca. 0803h UT, CML = 282 deg. Hellas is very bright in white
light. As Minami points out in the OAA's CMO, the brightness sometimes
extends outside the contours of the basin: Gray found a similar phenomenon
with Argyre in January.) Hellas was large and bright in green (VG9 filter)
and blue (BG12), but was smaller and paler in red (RG610).
Parker April 3. This CCD image series even shows a little structure inside
the Solis Lacus (which remains large and dark since the mid-'80s). The
feature Gallinaria Silva, a small dark spot that was seen to the W. of the
Solis Lacus in the apparitions immediately before the present one, seems to
have nearly disappeared. This is therefore perhaps a small change since 1997.
There is really fine structure in the Tithonius Lacus between Melas Lacus and
Noctis Lacus! Aurorae Sinus appears detailed, with little northward
projections including Baetis/ Juventae Fons, etc. Mare Acidalium and Niliacus
Lacus are shown in fine detail. Hyperboreus Lacus is a dark spot adjacent to
the small NPC.
Teichert, April 10, 28-cm SCT, 0056h UT, CML = 277 deg. Hellas bright on the
CM. Nepenthes is invisible. Moeris Lacus forms a small protrusion on the E.
side of Syrtis Major.
I do not intend a more complete analysis here. UK members may wish to know
that I will be showing some illustrations of the Section's work in my
presentation at the BAA Northampton Meeting on Saturday April 24.
Pic du Midi Website
This is an excellent site (http://www.bdl.fr/s2p/mars.html), and contains
some medium to high resolution images of Mars (1988-1999).
LPL Mars Water Group
Ann Sprague emailed with more details of her LPL Mars Water Group's work at
Catalina: see Rik Hill's communication from the same group in the last
Circular. Anne writes that they have been measuring water vapour in the
martian atmosphere every two weeks since 1998 September. "We are measuring
CO2 molecular absorption with the hopes of using radiative transfer to
measure atmospheric dust... the depth of the water vapor absorption line in
Mars' Northern latitudes is much deeper than we have seen it in previous
Northern summers."
February dust storm follow-up
Last time's Circular detailed a Regional storm over the Mariner Valley, whose
observation was mostly due to David Gray. Todd Clancy emailed on March 10 to
report that this event (which had first been detected on February 21) had had
no apparent effect upon the atmospheric temperature (as deduced from radio
waveband work), but, interestingly: "the overall trend in temperatures over
the past two months is 5-10 K warmer than at this time in the previous Mars
year." For those wishing to see David Gray's two sketches of the event, they
may now do so thanks to Don Parker who scanned them and uploaded them to the
Marwatch Website. Steve Lee emailed descriptions of the HST images of March 3
(CML 256, 280 deg.): these revealed ECB, but the CML was too high for them to
show the Valles Marineris area.
Note that the results of Ann Sprague's spectroscopy and Todd Clancy's work
seem to fit nicely together! It will be interesting to see if this relates to
the regression rate for the NPC.
Yet more dust over Valles Marineris!
A further event occurred during the Director's absence on holiday abroad.
Upon his return home on April 11, awaiting him was an email and observation
by Carlos Hernandez, dated March 31 (22cm refl., CML = 53 deg.), which
revealed an already mature dust storm in progress, in the form of a bright
streak running E-W along (the S. edge of?) Valles Marineris. At first sight I
thought it might just have been residual dust (see my comments upon Don
Parker's March 3 CCD image in the last Circular), but Carlos had not noticed
it earlier, and, moreover, it was too prominent, too well defined, and was
bright through a W23A red filter. In his email Carlos mentioned that a CCD
image by Antonio Cidadao taken 1h earlier had also shown the bright streak.
Carlos observed again a few days later on April 2, finding that the area had
returned essentially to normal. So when did it begin? Several days later,
David Strange emailed a good CCD image taken on March 27 at 0100h UT under
CML = 43 deg. This showed a bright area in Ophir which interrupted the
Agathodaemon (also known as Coprates, part of W. Valles Marineris: a
classical 'canal' which runs between Aurorae Sinus (Planum) and Tithonius
Lacus (Chasma)). This was most probably the initial cloud of the storm, and
the event subsequently spread eastward along the canyon. Don Parker's CCD
images of April 1 show the area, but in very bad seeing; his work on April 2,
3 and 6 is high resolution, but apart from a possible faded appearance of
Aurorae Sinus, the area seemed normal. Warell observed from Uppsala
University Observatory, Sweden, with a 16-cm OG: on March 29, 30 and April 1
(CML = 23-34 deg.) he found a large am cloud over Tharsis and Thaumasia,
etc., to appear distinctly yellowish. Johan's seeing conditions were not good
enough for him to see the dust actvity in the Valles Marineris, but the
yellow tint could represent dust diffused from the minor storm then underway.
Ditto April 5, under CML = 322 deg., when a yellow tint was evident in the
Chryse-Xanthe am cloud. In any case, a short-lived event.
Does anyone else have pertinent observations? If so, kindly let the Director
know! Looking at the Pic du Midi website will reveal a March 24 image which
does not show the storm, so we appear to have pinned it down quite well. The
location of the 1984 June Regional storm fell in a similar location; in that
case, dust also spread to the east over the same area, as well as dispersing
generally over Mare Erythraeum. This storm was fully described in the
writer's published 1984 BAA apparition report.
The Director looked up the work of the group that are analysing solar radio
occultation data from MGS to determine atmospheric temperatures. There is a
section on the MGS homepage. Joe Twicken of that group kindly (and rapidly)
responded to a query from the Director with the following email. " We have
not processed the raw data that we do have for the dates that you mention. We
do have a lot of data from the February period, but very little from the
March period. MGS did not begin normal mapping operations until this month.
Precise reconstructions of the spacecraft orbit are required to process our
raw data, and the orbit reconstructions from JPL for the February and March
periods were not sufficiently accurate for us to retrieve meaningful
atmospheric profiles. Other members of our Team are in the process of
reconstructing the orbits, and we will process the data when we can. I will
let you know if we see anything interesting. You should be aware that the
spacecraft occultations during the periods you mention occurred at very high
northern and southern latitudes, so we will not have any atmospheric data
from the vicinity of Valles Marineris." Thus it seems that the only record
of the March storm is again that of the groundbased observers. Keep up the
good work, everybody! But for your observations, these two small but
important events would have been completely missed!
Mars as seen through the eyes of the Global Surveyor
MGS has begun to image the planet from orbit again, after achieving final
orbit about March 1. In the current (May) Sky & Telescope Jonathan McDowell's
Mission Update column mentions a dramatic incident at Mission Control which
nearly interfered with the attainment of the final orbit...
Since the release of the Aerobraking Image Set, the MGS website has been
posting full-disk and closeup images from March and April. These show how
successfully the craft is behaving, and whet the appetite for more! Polar
dune fields, craters, clouds, Valles Marineris (including a fine shot of E.
Tithonium Chasma, image MOC2-109)... But telescopic observers will be most
interested in two full-disk 'images', reconstructed from a sequence of nine
strip-maps obtained on successive orbits. These were obtained in March during
the calibration phase of the mission. The Director has emailed for a more
precise date in case the images can support the discussion of the latest
Valles Marineris dust storm. The colours will not be perfect as the Martian
Orbiter Camera (MOC) makes red and blue images, and averages them to make
a 'green' image to combine with the others to make a colour composite. Another
consequence of this process would seem to result in rather low albedo
contrast compared with that telescopic observers can enjoy. (No matter, just
try Adobe Photoshop or similar program on your PC, and you can make them look
more like telescopic images - and put south at the top at the same time!!)
MOC2-117 shows Syrtis Major central, partly covered by the bluish-white 'Syrtis
Cloud'. Iapigia shows the location of the large Huygens crater.
Hellas is bright and looks mostly (but not entirely) frost-covered. The NPC
shows fine rifts and the broad dark Chasma Boreale (Iaxartes). The fine
albedo details around Utopia-Boreosyrtis-Propontis look to be very similar
(if not identical) to 1997, as 1997 looked identical to 1995 in the HST
images.
MOC2-118 is an image of the Tharsis and Thaumasia regions. The morning clouds
cover Olympus Mons, Alba Patera, Ascraeus Mons, but affect Pavonis and Arsia
Mons less.
The Mars Dust Storm Memoir
At last I can report that everything is finished and checked, and that I will
be taking the text and figures to the printer, University Printing Services,
Cambridge (the printers of the BAA Journal), in the next couple of days. It
is to be hoped that it can be published in the next few months. The printed
text will occupy about 168 pages, equivalent to THREE 56-PAGE ISSUES of the
Journal!
Reporting data to the Section
I am always happy to receive CCD images by email. Any URGENT and important
drawing can be scanned and sent as an image file, but I do not want to
receive routine drawings by email, because the vast majority are sent to me
as hard copies, and that is the form I like to compare (and archive) them in.
I have to write that I am spending an enormous amount of time downloading
files sent to me over the Internet, then decoding, analysing and refiling
them in the Section's records! Send mail to Cherry Tree Cottage, 16 Upper
Main Street, Upper Benefield, Peterborough PE8 5AN, Great Britain; home
telephone 01832-205387; home email Rmckim5374@aol.com. (Do not use the former
email address for my place of work (mckim@oundle.northants.sch.uk).) Urgent
faxes can be sent to my place of work on 01832-274052.
The next Circular
Please report observations April 16 to May 31 by June 7, so that the next
Circular can be published in the second or third week of June.
Good observing!
Richard McKim, Director, 1999 April 23 (Opposition Day minus one!)
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(4) Latest A.L.P.O. Mars electronic newsletter
The Martian Chronicle: Newsletter of the International Mars Patrol
An Observing Program of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers
Daniel M. Troiani
ALPO Mars Section Coordinator
E-Mail: dtroiani@triton.cc.il.us or dantroiani@Earthlink.net
ALPO Home Page: http://www.lpl.arizona/~rhill/alpo
April, 1999
Happy Martian Opposition!!!!!!
By: Jeff Beish
A.L.P.O. Mars Section
Although rarely seen, immense global dust storms are firmly entrenched in
Martian lore. The late Leonard J. Martin (Planetary Research Center, Lowell
Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona) wrote that there have been only five
well-documented "planet-encircling" Martian storms. These storms occurred
in 1956, 1971, 1973, and two storms in 1977 (these were discovered by
Viking Spacecraft).
Smaller dust storms or dust clouds are observed on Mars more frequently.
Dust clouds are very difficult to identify in their beginning stages and,
in some cases, go undetected even after they have fully developed. They
might appear during any season; however, very few dust clouds are reported
during the Martian northern hemisphere late-winter and spring. Although
these reports are rare we do receive several observations each apparition
of small transient dust clouds roaming around Chryse and into Eos and
Aurorae Sinus.
Recently observers have reported bright cloud features in the regions of
Chryse and several observers have identified these as dust clouds. It is
gratifying to see our observers using the A.L.P.O. International Mars
Patrol (I.M.P.) revised standards for identifying Martian dust clouds. It
may be beneficial to repeat the method for identifying Martian dust clouds
as a gentle reminder to observers.
Chryse is a bright equatorial region just south Niliacus Lacus and
Achillis Pons, part of the Mare Acidalium region. During the northern
hemisphere late spring and summer seasons Chryse can be seen as bright in
blue and green light, at times fairly bright in red light. We may assume
that the red component is dust. Occasionally bright spots are seen near
the southern edge of Chryse near Aurorae Sinus and Eos. These clouds will
appear bright in red light and will move south east, or towards the morning
limb. They are most likely dust clouds. Dust clouds may form a long wave
or stream of dust that will pass over Solis Lacus and then move towards the
evening limb into Argyre I.
For a good description and how to report these small dust clouds see the
article, "A Martian Dust-Storm Watch," Sky and Telescope Magazine, Volume
85, Number 1, January 1993.
IDENTIFYING A MARTIAN DUST STORM
Numerous reports of yellowish hazes have appeared in the literature and in
the I.M.P. archives. Mars observers frequently report "albedo features"
lacking in contrast, the planet is "washed out," or Mars' atmosphere is
"dusty." These terms have been employed in the past by the A.L.P.O. Mars
Recorders (Coordinators). While such descriptions may have merit,
generalized yellow hazes and temporary losses in surface contrast is
usually omitted in our reports. Photographic evidence for these
phenomena is also weak, since the proper sensitometric calibration is
usually lacking.
In the past observers referred to dust storms as "yellow clouds" and
"yellow dust storms." We felt that this description was misleading and
began to change our observing techniques and reporting methods for Martian
dust clouds. First, it is virtually impossible to see or even photograph
accurate colors on Mars without employing very specialized techniques.
Traditionally, observers have employed yellow filters to better reveal dust
clouds. The problem is that nearly every light feature on Mars appears
bright through a yellow filter!
In November, 1989, we were fortunate to have Leonard Martin spend several
with the A.L.P.O. Mars Section reviewing I.M.P. dust storm data. Under his
guidance we have revised our definition of dust clouds/storms. He pointed
out that dust clouds usually appear bright in red light since the major
past of the planet's surface is composed of reddish volcanic dust
particles. Dust clouds can be bright in all spectral regions, including
violet, but if they are not bright in red, they are most likely not dust.
Also, spacecraft observations indicate that these dust clouds are caused by
high winds and usually can be seen to obscure previously well-defined
albedo features as they move across the Martian surface.
Martian dust clouds form rapidly when finely divided surface materials
are raised by the Martian wind. These clouds may be small, localized, and
short lived, or they may expand to cover most or all of the planet in a
matter of days. Dust clouds brighten faintly in yellow filters and reveal
sharpened boundaries through orange and red filters. During the initial
stages of formation, they often appear very bright in violet and
ultraviolet light (photo graphic), suggesting the presence of ice crystals.
Thus dust clouds are frequently confused with bright white areas, frosts,
or high localized clouds on Mars. Because these dust clouds are often
confused with bright surface deposits it becomes more difficult to
determine the extent of the dust cloud expansion once the observer
identifies it as dust on the move. Fresh surface deposits of dust tend to
brighten the area where its has fallen and appears to blend with the dust
cloud on the move.
While working with Leonard Martin and Richard W. Zurek (JPL) on problems
of correctly identifying and classifying Martian dust clouds or storms, new
guidelines have been established by the A.L.P.O. Mars Recorders
(Coordinators) for interpreting Martian dust clouds and dust storms, they
are classified as:
I. Type of Observation.
1. White cloud or bright area mistaken for dust cloud.
2. Visual observation(s) of dust clouds in a dust storm.
3. Instrumental observation(s) of dust cloud/storm (Includes
photographic, polarimetric, spacecraft data, or other data
obtained by instrumental means).
II. Martian dust clouds.
1. Obscuration (obstruction) -- Not sure if surface or atmospheric.
2. Dust Haze -- Partial obscuration with displacement.
3. Bright dust cloud -- Bright obscuration with displacements.
4. Limb projection/terminator protrusion by dust cloud.
III. Martian dust storms.
1. Local -- Dust storm with major axis not to exceed 2000 km (1,243
miles or less than 34 degrees).
2. Regional -- Dust storm with major axis that exceeds 2000 km
(1,243 miles or less than 34 degrees) but not encircling either or
both hemispheres.
3. Planet Encircling -- Dust storm with major axis that completely
encircles either one or both hemispheres of Mars.
SUMMARY
If we consider the color of Mars is predominately RED, with a mix of
features displaying dark gray-orange and brown hues, it becomes interesting
when attempting to describe Martian dust clouds as "yellow."
So, we may wish to define Martian dust clouds by their color, movement,
and in some cases, the two dimensional aspect of the clouds. As a general
rule, a Martian dust cloud will qualify if they 1) are bright in red light,
2) show movement with obscuration of previously well-defined albedo
features, and 3) may cast a shadow.
Chryse has been show to be an area where small dust clouds form and then
to move southward into dark areas of Mars. These reports are important in
the understanding our reddish neighbor, Mars.
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Other Useful and Related WWW sites:
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Latest MGS images:
http://www.msss.com/mars/global_surveyor/camera/images/index.html
Main MGS Home Page:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/index.html
Mars-98 Orbiter:
http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/msp98/orbiter/
Mars-98 Lander:
http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/msp98/lander/
Mars-98 MVACS Science Payload Home Page:
http://mvacs.ess.ucla.edu/index.html
New Millenium Mars Microprobe Mission (DS2):
http://nmp.jpl.nasa.gov/ds2/
Pathfinder Home Page:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/default.html
JPL Mars Missions Page
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mars
Mars-01 and Mars-03 APEX/Athena Science Payloads
http://athena.cornell.edu/
A.L.P.O. Mars observations:
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/alpo/mars.html
Astronomical League:
http://www.astroleague.org/
1998-99 Marswatch ftp site and imaging highlights:
http://www.astroleague.org/marswatch
1996-97 Marswatch highlights:
http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/mpf/marswatch.html
Mars (and other) Educational Resources Page
http://marswatch.tn.cornell.edu/marsidea
MarsNet:
http://astrosun.tn.cornell.edu/marsnet/mnhome.html
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I will continue to maintain the email distribution list as well
as the various Cornell and JPL Marswatch-related WWW archives.
NOTE: I apologize if you are receiving duplicate copies of this mailing,
but I can't seem to track down the email glitch that is causing this.
If you would like your name removed from the distribution list, please
send me an email.
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Jim Bell
Cornell University
Department of Astronomy
Center for Radiophysics and Space Research
402 Space Sciences Building
Ithaca, NY 14853-6801
phone: 607-255-5911; fax: 607-255-9002
email: jimbo@marswatch.tn.cornell.edu
WWW: http://marswatch.tn.cornell.edu
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