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      THE INTERNATIONAL MARSWATCH ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
      -------------------------------------------------
                     Volume 6; Issue 4
                       Oct 8, 2003
                     Circulation: 1056

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Greetings Mars Observers!  My appologies for the missing September
issue; new building, new office, new class textbook, new house,
and observing run prep.  Enough excuses --- onto Mars!

(1) October Ephemerides
(2) Observations and Possible Dust Activity
(3) Mars Explorer Rovers
(4) Mars Express
(5) Mars Odyssey
(6) Mars Global Surveyor

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October Ephemerides

The following table was generated using JPL's online ephemerides site.
Times are all Local Daylight Time for mid-latitude sites.  For Local
Standard Time, just subtract an hour.  Dates and times are given for 
Mars rise (r), transit (t), and set (s).  The C, N, A and * in
the second column stand for civil, nautical and astronomical twilight and day
light, respectively.  Ob-lon is the longitude on Mars facing the observer
(also called CM); Ob-lat is the corresponding latitude.

 Date_(ZONE)_HR:MN     R.A._(ICRF/J2000.0)_DEC  APmag Ang-dia Ob-lon Ob-lat Cnst
 2003-Oct-01 02:39  t  22 15 38.19 -15 40 43.9  -2.11  20.670  63.75 -20.24  Aqr
 2003-Oct-01 07:47  s  22 15 38.28 -15 39 29.1  -2.10  20.626 138.80 -20.26  Aqr
 2003-Oct-01 21:27 *r  22 15 43.88 -15 36 14.5  -2.09  20.513 338.57 -20.31  Aqr
 2003-Oct-02 02:36  t  22 15 44.49 -15 35 02.8  -2.08  20.471  53.86 -20.33  Aqr
 2003-Oct-02 07:44  s  22 15 45.25 -15 33 44.5  -2.07  20.427 128.90 -20.35  Aqr
 2003-Oct-02 21:23 *r  22 15 52.58 -15 30 20.7  -2.05  20.314 328.42 -20.40  Aqr
 2003-Oct-03 02:32  t  22 15 53.86 -15 29 05.4  -2.05  20.272  43.71 -20.42  Aqr
 2003-Oct-03 07:40  s  22 15 55.29 -15 27 43.6  -2.04  20.228 118.75 -20.44  Aqr
 2003-Oct-03 21:19 *r  22 16 04.33 -15 24 10.5  -2.02  20.114 318.26 -20.49  Aqr
 2003-Oct-04 02:28  t  22 16 06.28 -15 22 51.8  -2.02  20.073  33.54 -20.51  Aqr
 2003-Oct-04 07:37  s  22 16 08.37 -15 21 26.3  -2.01  20.029 108.82 -20.53  Aqr
 2003-Oct-04 21:15 *r  22 16 19.09 -15 17 44.5  -1.99  19.915 308.09 -20.59  Aqr
 2003-Oct-05 02:24  t  22 16 21.69 -15 16 22.3  -1.99  19.874  23.37 -20.61  Aqr
 2003-Oct-05 07:34  s  22 16 24.45 -15 14 53.2  -1.98  19.830  98.89 -20.63  Aqr
 2003-Oct-05 21:11 *r  22 16 36.82 -15 11 02.9  -1.96  19.716 297.90 -20.68  Aqr
 2003-Oct-06 02:21  t  22 16 40.08 -15 09 37.1  -1.96  19.675  13.42 -20.71  Aqr
 2003-Oct-06 07:31  s  22 16 43.48 -15 08 04.8  -1.95  19.631  88.93 -20.73  Aqr
 2003-Oct-06 21:07 *r  22 16 57.48 -15 04 06.2  -1.93  19.518 287.70 -20.78  Aqr
 2003-Oct-07 02:17  t  22 17 01.38 -15 02 37.1  -1.93  19.476   3.21 -20.81  Aqr
 2003-Oct-07 07:28  s  22 17 05.43 -15 01 01.3  -1.92  19.432  78.97 -20.83  Aqr
 2003-Oct-07 21:03 *r  22 17 21.03 -14 56 54.7  -1.90  19.320 277.48 -20.89  Aqr
 2003-Oct-08 02:14  t  22 17 25.56 -14 55 22.2  -1.89  19.278 353.24 -20.91  Aqr
 2003-Oct-08 07:24  s  22 17 30.22 -14 53 43.6  -1.89  19.235  68.75 -20.93  Aqr
 2003-Oct-08 20:59 *r  22 17 47.41 -14 49 28.9  -1.87  19.123 267.25 -20.99  Aqr
 2003-Oct-09 02:10  t  22 17 52.56 -14 47 53.2  -1.86  19.081 343.00 -21.01  Aqr
 2003-Oct-09 07:21  s  22 17 57.86 -14 46 11.4  -1.86  19.038  58.76 -21.03  Aqr
 2003-Oct-09 20:55 *r  22 18 16.58 -14 41 49.0  -1.84  18.926 257.01 -21.09  Aqr
 2003-Oct-10 02:07  t  22 18 22.36 -14 40 10.0  -1.83  18.885 333.00 -21.12  Aqr
 2003-Oct-10 07:19  s  22 18 28.28 -14 38 24.9  -1.83  18.841  49.00 -21.14  Aqr
 2003-Oct-10 20:51 *r  22 18 48.49 -14 33 55.5  -1.81  18.731 246.75 -21.20  Aqr
 2003-Oct-11 02:03  t  22 18 54.88 -14 32 13.5  -1.80  18.690 322.75 -21.22  Aqr
 2003-Oct-11 07:16  s  22 19 01.41 -14 30 25.2  -1.80  18.646  38.98 -21.25  Aqr
 2003-Oct-11 20:47 *r  22 19 23.10 -14 25 48.7  -1.78  18.537 236.49 -21.31  Aqr
 2003-Oct-12 02:00  t  22 19 30.09 -14 24 03.5  -1.77  18.495 312.72 -21.33  Aqr
 2003-Oct-12 07:13  s  22 19 37.22 -14 22 12.3  -1.77  18.452  28.95 -21.35  Aqr
 2003-Oct-12 20:43 *r  22 20 00.35 -14 17 28.8  -1.75  18.343 226.21 -21.41  Aqr
 2003-Oct-13 01:57  t  22 20 07.95 -14 15 40.4  -1.74  18.302 302.68 -21.44  Aqr
 2003-Oct-13 07:10  s  22 20 15.65 -14 13 46.6  -1.73  18.259  18.91 -21.46  Aqr
 2003-Oct-13 20:40 *r  22 20 40.22 -14 08 56.0  -1.72  18.151 216.16 -21.52  Aqr
 2003-Oct-14 01:53  t  22 20 48.37 -14 07 05.1  -1.71  18.110 292.38 -21.55  Aqr
 2003-Oct-14 07:07  s  22 20 56.67 -14 05 08.3  -1.70  18.068   8.85 -21.57  Aqr
 2003-Oct-14 20:36 *r  22 21 22.62 -14 00 11.0  -1.69  17.961 205.85 -21.63  Aqr
 2003-Oct-15 01:50  t  22 21 31.35 -13 58 17.1  -1.68  17.920 282.32 -21.66  Aqr
 2003-Oct-15 07:05  s  22 21 40.24 -13 56 17.3  -1.67  17.878 359.03 -21.68  Aqr
 2003-Oct-15 20:32 *r  22 22 07.52 -13 51 14.0  -1.66  17.771 195.54 -21.75  Aqr
 2003-Oct-16 01:47  t  22 22 16.83 -13 49 17.0  -1.65  17.731 272.24 -21.77  Aqr
 2003-Oct-16 07:02  s  22 22 26.27 -13 47 14.6  -1.64  17.689 348.95 -21.80  Aqr
 2003-Oct-16 20:28 *r  22 22 54.87 -13 42 05.1  -1.63  17.584 185.21 -21.86  Aqr
 2003-Oct-17 01:44  t  22 23 04.76 -13 40 05.2  -1.62  17.544 262.16 -21.88  Aqr
 2003-Oct-17 06:59  s  22 23 14.74 -13 38 00.2  -1.61  17.502 338.86 -21.91  Aqr
 2003-Oct-17 20:25 *r  22 23 44.66 -13 32 44.2  -1.60  17.397 175.11 -21.97  Aqr
 2003-Oct-18 01:41  t  22 23 55.08 -13 30 41.7  -1.59  17.358 252.06 -21.99  Aqr
 2003-Oct-18 06:57  s  22 24 05.63 -13 28 33.9  -1.58  17.316 329.00 -22.02  Aqr
 2003-Oct-18 20:21 *r  22 24 36.78 -13 23 12.4  -1.57  17.213 164.76 -22.08  Aqr
 2003-Oct-19 01:38  t  22 24 47.77 -13 21 06.9  -1.56  17.173 241.94 -22.11  Aqr
 2003-Oct-19 06:54  s  22 24 58.83 -13 18 56.7  -1.55  17.132 318.89 -22.13  Aqr
 2003-Oct-19 20:18 *r  22 25 31.26 -13 13 29.0  -1.54  17.030 154.64 -22.20  Aqr
 2003-Oct-20 01:35  t  22 25 42.76 -13 11 21.1  -1.53  16.991 231.82 -22.22  Aqr
 2003-Oct-20 06:52  s  22 25 54.37 -13 09 08.1  -1.52  16.950 309.01 -22.25  Aqr
 2003-Oct-20 20:14 *r  22 26 27.97 -13 03 35.1  -1.51  16.849 144.26 -22.31  Aqr
 2003-Oct-21 01:32  t  22 26 40.01 -13 01 24.3  -1.50  16.810 221.69 -22.34  Aqr
 2003-Oct-21 06:50  s  22 26 52.17 -12 59 08.6  -1.49  16.769 299.11 -22.36  Aqr
 2003-Oct-21 20:10 *r  22 27 26.91 -12 53 30.5  -1.48  16.669 133.88 -22.43  Aqr
 2003-Oct-22 01:29  t  22 27 39.49 -12 51 16.9  -1.47  16.631 211.54 -22.45  Aqr
 2003-Oct-22 06:47  s  22 27 52.15 -12 48 58.9  -1.46  16.590 288.97 -22.48  Aqr
 2003-Oct-22 20:07 *r  22 28 28.08 -12 43 14.9  -1.45  16.492 123.72 -22.54  Aqr
 2003-Oct-23 01:26  t  22 28 41.15 -12 40 59.0  -1.44  16.453 201.39 -22.56  Aqr
 2003-Oct-23 06:45  s  22 28 54.33 -12 38 38.3  -1.44  16.413 279.05 -22.59  Aqr
 2003-Oct-23 20:03 *r  22 29 31.35 -12 32 49.4  -1.42  16.316 113.32 -22.65  Aqr
 2003-Oct-24 01:23  t  22 29 44.94 -12 30 30.8  -1.41  16.278 191.22 -22.68  Aqr
 2003-Oct-24 06:43  s  22 29 58.65 -12 28 07.4  -1.41  16.238 269.13 -22.71  Aqr
 2003-Oct-24 20:00 *r  22 30 36.76 -12 22 13.3  -1.39  16.142 103.14 -22.77  Aqr
 2003-Oct-25 01:20  t  22 30 50.83 -12 19 52.4  -1.38  16.104 181.04 -22.79  Aqr
 2003-Oct-25 06:41  s  22 31 05.05 -12 17 26.4  -1.38  16.065 259.19 -22.82  Aqr
 2003-Oct-25 19:56 *r  22 31 44.19 -12 11 27.7  -1.36  15.970  92.71 -22.88  Aqr
 2003-Oct-26 01:17  t  22 31 58.77 -12 09 04.0  -1.35  15.933 170.86 -22.91  Aqr
 2003-Oct-26 06:38  s  22 32 13.45 -12 06 35.9  -1.35  15.894 249.00 -22.93  Aqr
 2003-Oct-26 19:53 *r  22 32 53.69 -12 00 31.8  -1.33  15.800  82.52 -23.00  Aqr
 2003-Oct-27 01:15  t  22 33 08.76 -11 58 05.4  -1.33  15.763 160.90 -23.02  Aqr
 2003-Oct-27 06:36  s  22 33 23.90 -11 55 35.1  -1.32  15.725 239.04 -23.05  Aqr
 2003-Oct-27 19:50 *r  22 34 05.15 -11 49 26.2  -1.30  15.632  72.31 -23.11  Aqr
 2003-Oct-28 01:12  t  22 34 20.67 -11 46 57.7  -1.30  15.595 150.69 -23.13  Aqr
 2003-Oct-28 06:34  s  22 34 36.30 -11 44 24.9  -1.29  15.557 229.08 -23.16  Aqr
 2003-Oct-28 19:46 *r  22 35 18.48 -11 38 11.7  -1.27  15.466  61.85 -23.22  Aqr
 2003-Oct-29 01:09  t  22 35 34.49 -11 35 40.6  -1.27  15.430 140.48 -23.25  Aqr
 2003-Oct-29 06:32  s  22 35 50.59 -11 33 05.2  -1.26  15.392 219.10 -23.27  Aqr
 2003-Oct-29 19:43 *r  22 36 33.73 -11 26 47.5  -1.25  15.302  51.63 -23.33  Aqr
 2003-Oct-30 01:07  t  22 36 50.21 -11 24 13.8  -1.24  15.266 130.49 -23.36  Aqr
 2003-Oct-30 06:30  s  22 37 06.74 -11 21 36.5  -1.23  15.229 209.11 -23.39  Aqr
 2003-Oct-30 19:40 *r  22 37 50.80 -11 15 14.3  -1.22  15.140  41.39 -23.45  Aqr
 2003-Oct-31 01:04  t  22 38 07.69 -11 12 38.6  -1.21  15.104 120.25 -23.47  Aqr
 2003-Oct-31 06:28  s  22 38 24.68 -11 09 58.8  -1.20  15.067 199.12 -23.50  Aqr
 2003-Oct-31 19:36 *r  22 39 09.58 -11 03 32.8  -1.19  14.980  30.90 -23.56  Aqr
 
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Observations and Possible Dust Activity

Thanks go out to Steve Noonan, Rowan computer science major, for giving
the MarsWatch 2003 images pages a major overhaul!  The image pages are
now served up on-the-fly and built automagically by a nice PHP
script (no, I don't know what PHP means, either).  The job of maintaining
those pages has been made significantly easier --- basically, I just
have to move the images from the ftp directory to the web directory!
This should also speed up the turn-around time between submission
and posting.

Images from the end of September and early October still show the South
Polar Cap quite well.  The only indications of ice clouds (bright in blue)
appear on the limb and terminator with some indications still of a north
polar hood.  There also appear to be some clouds located over the high
volcanic peaks in Tharsis.  Based on preliminary looks at infrared imaging 
from the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (images to appear on the site as 
soon as my students finish the processing) show the clouds around Tharsis
to be composed mainly of water ice while the SPC is almost entirely composed
of carbon dioxide.  Further analysis will be necessary to substantiate
these initial interpretations.

An image from 5 October seems to show a strong Red brightening west of the
Hellas basin.  Could this be the beginnings of a dust storm?  I hope everyone
will be looking carefully at this area over the next few days!

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Mars Explorer Rovers

No new reports have crossed my inbox recently so I believe this is a
case of "no news is good news".  Both craft are on their way and have
checked-out AOK on all their preliminary instrument tests.

The various MER teams have been conducting readiness tests focusing
on the "Impact to Egress" phase of the mission.  That is, from when
they bounce-down to when the packages open and the rovers begin
their roving.  The teams have been having to work some strange hours
and shifts!  Since the rovers are solar powered, the teams have to
work during Mars daylight hours (which could be the middle of the
night in California/JPL time).  Also, the Mars day (or Sol) is about
39 minutes longer than an Earth day --- this means that the shifts
these folks have to work shift in Earth time by 39 minutes.  The
MER operations teams have to live on Mars time!  I'm willing to bet
that this does not mean they get to have an extra 39 minutes of
sleep per day...

You can get more information at the offical MER web site 
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer/ .

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Mars Express

As of mid-September, Mars Express is working fine and about halfway
to its destination.  The initial tests are all out of the way and
the Cruise Phase payload instrument checkouts will be taking place
this month.  The Beagle probe will also have such a checkout which
will be later this month and early November.

See the offical web site at http://sci.esa.int/marsexpress/ for more 
information and updates and http://www.beagle2.com/ for for information
on the Beagle probe.

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Mars Odyssey

The latest Themis images are quite interesting.  There is an image
of two craters (http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20031006a.html) that
have very different erosional histories, some ancient lava flows
just east of Pavonis Mons (http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20030929a.html),
and finally, a color image from the eastern edge of Acidalia
(http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20031003a.html).  They note that the
colors have been "enhanced" and thus do not represent anything near
what we would call "true color", but the differences in the image
are still striking.

You can get more information at the official Odyssey web site
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/ .

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Mars Global Surveyor

The mission is still going strong!  The Mars Orbiter Camera has obtained
over 134,000 images of the planet and now they are doing something very
interesting --- letting the public suggest imaging targets!  The first
can be seen at http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/2003/09/12/index.html
and is the caldera of Pavoinis Mons.  If you want to participate and
make your own suggestions, you can get all the details at
http://www.msss.com/plan/intro/ .

The TES team continues their data gathering, and present a daily
maps at http://tes.asu.edu/daily.html.  They are also computing
a daily atmospheric dust abundance map which you can see at
http://tes.asu.edu.  It will be interesting to compare their
results with the brightenings being seen in the MarsWatch images!

More information and links to images can be found at
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/

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Marswatch WWW site --- http://elvis.rowan.edu/marswatch

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Questions, comments, concerns, and contributions to:
David R. Klassen                          voice: 856-256-4391
Department of Physics & Astronomy         fax: 856-256-4478
Rowan University
201 Mullica Hill Road                     klassen@rowan.edu
Glassboro, NJ 08028                       http://elvis.rowan.edu/~klassen