O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O->

      THE INTERNATIONAL MARSWATCH ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
      -------------------------------------------------
                     Volume 7; Issue 1
                       7 April 2005
                     Circulation: 1017

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(1) Welcome back
(2) Ephemerides
(3) Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
(4) Mars Explorer Rovers
(5) Mars Odyssey
(6) Mars Express
(7) Mars Global Surveyor

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Hello all Mars observers!  This newsletter is to let you all know
that the 2005 International MarsWatch is up and running.  The site
(http://elvis.rowan.edu/marswatch/) has been rotated over from the 
2003 opposition, files moved, pages edited, images archived and moved, 
etc.  The entire 2003 site is still available, in its finalized and
archived form (http://elvis.rowan.edu/marswatch/2003/).

Once again, we have the newsletter being mailed out using our
spiffy Majordomo, a Perl program that handles the list subscriptions, 
dead addresses, etc. If you want to unsubscribe from this monthly
newsletter, just follow the instructions at the bottom.

If anyone would like to contribute to the newsletter, such as their
observing plans for this season, things they are seeing in thier
images as the season progresses, etc.  Just drop me a line (my e-mail
address is at the bottom also) and I'll get it into the next piece.
I will also be updating the MarsWatch website with any tidbits folks
send to me, so keep the information coming in!
 
As you all begin to gather your images of Mars, I urge you all to use 
the MarsWatch ftp site to upload any images you wish to contribute.  All 
the instructions for its use can be found linked from the main MarsWatch
page.  We already have two image submissions which will be posted
to the page as soon as the ftp site releases them.

I also urge any of the professional astronomers out there who have 
Mars observing programs to let us know what they are so we can try 
to get as many coordinated observations as possible.  Again, just drop 
me a line and I'll put it in the next newsletter and on the site.

Finally, I'll be using this newsletter to provide viewing information
for Mars and a brief overview of what is going on with the current
Mars spacecraft observations.

Again, welcome back and here's to a cloud-free observing season!

Clear Skies!
    Dave

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The following table was generated using JPL's online ephemerides site.
Times are all EDT (UT-4), which should be the same local time for most 
sites (if you are on the equivalent of U.S. daylight time).  Dates and 
times are given for Mars rise (r), transit (t), and set (s).  The N, A 
and * in the second column stand for 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-diam Ob-lon Ob-lat
2005-Apr-01 04:11  r  20 44 09.84 -19 15 07.6   0.92   5.865   214.36 -17.83
2005-Apr-01 09:06 *t  20 44 46.21 -19 13 00.7   0.91   5.871   286.10 -17.88
2005-Apr-01 14:02 *s  20 45 22.69 -19 10 51.0   0.91   5.876   358.08 -17.92
2005-Apr-02 04:09  r  20 47 08.39 -19 04 40.4   0.91   5.892   204.05 -18.06
2005-Apr-02 09:05 *t  20 47 44.82 -19 02 31.0   0.90   5.898   276.03 -18.10
2005-Apr-02 14:01 *s  20 48 21.23 -19 00 19.2   0.90   5.903   348.02 -18.15
2005-Apr-03 04:08  r  20 50 06.74 -18 54 02.5   0.90   5.919   193.99 -18.28
2005-Apr-03 09:04 *t  20 50 43.10 -18 51 51.1   0.90   5.925   265.97 -18.32
2005-Apr-03 14:01 *s  20 51 19.57 -18 49 36.8   0.89   5.930   338.20 -18.37
2005-Apr-04 04:06  r  20 53 04.65 -18 43 15.1   0.89   5.946   183.68 -18.50
2005-Apr-04 09:03 *t  20 53 41.06 -18 41 01.2   0.89   5.952   255.91 -18.54
2005-Apr-04 14:01 *s  20 54 17.58 -18 38 44.4   0.88   5.957   328.37 -18.59
2005-Apr-05 04:04  r  20 56 02.22 -18 32 17.9   0.88   5.973   173.37 -18.71
2005-Apr-05 09:02 *t  20 56 38.69 -18 30 01.4   0.88   5.979   245.84 -18.76
2005-Apr-05 14:00 *s  20 57 15.14 -18 27 42.6   0.87   5.985   318.31 -18.80
2005-Apr-06 04:03  r  20 58 59.58 -18 21 10.4   0.87   6.001   163.30 -18.93
2005-Apr-06 09:01 *t  20 59 35.97 -18 18 52.0   0.87   6.007   235.77 -18.97
2005-Apr-06 14:00 *s  21 00 12.47 -18 16 30.7   0.87   6.012   308.48 -19.01
2005-Apr-07 04:01  r  21 01 56.47 -18 09 53.9   0.86   6.029   152.99 -19.13
2005-Apr-07 09:01 *t  21 02 33.04 -18 07 32.5   0.86   6.035   225.94 -19.18
2005-Apr-07 14:00 *s  21 03 09.46 -18 05 09.3   0.86   6.040   298.65 -19.22
2005-Apr-08 03:59  r  21 04 53.02 -17 58 27.9   0.85   6.057   142.67 -19.34
2005-Apr-08 09:00 *t  21 05 29.63 -17 56 04.1   0.85   6.063   215.87 -19.38
2005-Apr-08 14:00 *s  21 06 06.10 -17 53 38.4   0.85   6.068   288.82 -19.43
2005-Apr-09 03:58  r  21 07 49.33 -17 46 52.2   0.84   6.085   132.59 -19.55
2005-Apr-09 08:59 *t  21 08 25.86 -17 44 26.5   0.84   6.091   205.79 -19.59
2005-Apr-09 13:59 *s  21 09 02.26 -17 41 58.9   0.84   6.097   278.74 -19.63
2005-Apr-10 03:56  r  21 10 45.16 -17 35 07.9   0.83   6.113   122.27 -19.75
2005-Apr-10 08:57 *t  21 11 21.62 -17 32 40.3   0.83   6.119   195.47 -19.79
2005-Apr-10 13:59 *s  21 11 58.19 -17 30 09.9   0.83   6.125   268.91 -19.83
2005-Apr-11 03:54  r  21 13 40.63 -17 23 14.6   0.82   6.142   111.95 -19.94
2005-Apr-11 08:56 *t  21 14 17.14 -17 20 44.7   0.82   6.148   185.39 -19.98
2005-Apr-11 13:59 *s  21 14 53.75 -17 18 11.9   0.82   6.154   259.07 -20.02
2005-Apr-12 03:52  r  21 16 35.75 -17 11 12.6   0.81   6.171   101.63 -20.14
2005-Apr-12 08:55 *t  21 17 12.30 -17 08 40.3   0.81   6.177   175.31 -20.18
2005-Apr-12 13:59 *s  21 17 48.95 -17 06 05.2   0.81   6.183   249.23 -20.22
2005-Apr-13 03:51  r  21 19 30.62 -16 59 01.4   0.80   6.200    91.55 -20.33
2005-Apr-13 08:54 *t  21 20 07.09 -16 56 27.3   0.80   6.206   165.23 -20.37
2005-Apr-13 13:58 *s  21 20 43.67 -16 53 50.4   0.80   6.212   239.15 -20.41
2005-Apr-14 03:49  r  21 22 25.01 -16 46 42.2   0.79   6.229    81.22 -20.51
2005-Apr-14 08:53 *t  21 23 01.53 -16 44 05.9   0.79   6.235   155.14 -20.55
2005-Apr-14 13:58 *s  21 23 38.15 -16 41 26.6   0.79   6.241   229.31 -20.59
2005-Apr-15 03:47  r  21 25 19.04 -16 34 14.7   0.78   6.258    70.89 -20.70
2005-Apr-15 08:52 *t  21 25 55.60 -16 31 36.1   0.78   6.265   145.05 -20.73
2005-Apr-15 13:58 *s  21 26 32.26 -16 28 54.6   0.78   6.271   219.46 -20.77
2005-Apr-16 03:45  r  21 28 12.70 -16 21 39.0   0.77   6.288    60.56 -20.88
2005-Apr-16 08:51 *t  21 28 49.31 -16 18 58.1   0.77   6.295   134.97 -20.91
2005-Apr-16 13:58 *s  21 29 26.01 -16 16 14.4   0.77   6.301   209.62 -20.95
2005-Apr-17 03:43  r  21 31 06.01 -16 08 55.2   0.76   6.318    50.22 -21.05
2005-Apr-17 08:50 *t  21 31 42.66 -16 06 12.1   0.76   6.324   124.87 -21.09
2005-Apr-17 13:57 *s  21 32 19.28 -16 03 26.7   0.76   6.331   199.53 -21.13
2005-Apr-18 03:41  r  21 33 58.96 -15 56 03.5   0.75   6.348    39.89 -21.23
2005-Apr-18 08:49 *t  21 34 35.65 -15 53 18.2   0.75   6.355   114.78 -21.26
2005-Apr-18 13:57 *s  21 35 12.32 -15 50 30.6   0.75   6.361   189.68 -21.30
2005-Apr-19 03:40  r  21 36 51.67 -15 43 03.6   0.74   6.378    29.79 -21.40
2005-Apr-19 08:48 *t  21 37 28.28 -15 40 16.6   0.74   6.385   104.69 -21.43
2005-Apr-19 13:57 *s  21 38 04.99 -15 37 26.8   0.74   6.391   179.83 -21.47
2005-Apr-20 03:38  r  21 39 43.90 -15 29 56.5   0.73   6.409    19.46 -21.56
2005-Apr-20 08:47 *t  21 40 20.55 -15 27 07.4   0.73   6.416    94.59 -21.60
2005-Apr-20 13:57 *s  21 40 57.31 -15 24 15.4   0.73   6.422   169.97 -21.63
2005-Apr-21 03:36  r  21 42 35.78 -15 16 42.0   0.72   6.440     9.11 -21.72
2005-Apr-21 08:46 *t  21 43 12.48 -15 13 50.7   0.72   6.446    84.49 -21.76
2005-Apr-21 13:56 *s  21 43 49.15 -15 10 57.1   0.72   6.453   159.87 -21.79
2005-Apr-22 03:34  r  21 45 27.31 -15 03 20.1   0.72   6.471   358.77 -21.88
2005-Apr-22 08:45 *t  21 46 04.05 -15 00 26.7   0.71   6.477    74.39 -21.91
2005-Apr-22 13:56 *s  21 46 40.77 -14 57 31.0   0.71   6.484   150.02 -21.95
2005-Apr-23 03:32  r  21 48 18.49 -14 49 51.1   0.71   6.502   348.43 -22.04
2005-Apr-23 08:44 *t  21 48 55.27 -14 46 55.5   0.70   6.509    64.29 -22.07
2005-Apr-23 13:56 *s  21 49 32.03 -14 43 57.8   0.70   6.515   140.16 -22.10
2005-Apr-24 03:30  r  21 51 09.33 -14 36 15.0   0.70   6.533   338.08 -22.19
2005-Apr-24 08:43 *t  21 51 46.15 -14 33 17.4   0.69   6.540    54.19 -22.22
2005-Apr-24 13:56 *s  21 52 22.95 -14 30 17.5   0.69   6.547   130.30 -22.25
2005-Apr-25 03:28  r  21 53 59.81 -14 22 32.0   0.69   6.565   327.74 -22.33
2005-Apr-25 08:42 *t  21 54 36.68 -14 19 32.3   0.68   6.572    44.09 -22.36
2005-Apr-25 13:55 *s  21 55 13.40 -14 16 31.0   0.68   6.578   120.19 -22.40
2005-Apr-26 03:26  r  21 56 49.96 -14 08 42.3   0.68   6.596   317.39 -22.48
2005-Apr-26 08:41 *t  21 57 26.86 -14 05 40.5   0.67   6.604    33.98 -22.51
2005-Apr-26 13:55 *s  21 58 03.63 -14 02 37.2   0.67   6.610   110.33 -22.54
2005-Apr-27 03:24  r  21 59 39.76 -13 54 45.9   0.67   6.629   307.04 -22.62
2005-Apr-27 08:39 *t  22 00 16.59 -13 51 42.8   0.66   6.636    23.63 -22.65
2005-Apr-27 13:55 *s  22 00 53.52 -13 48 36.9   0.66   6.643   100.47 -22.68
2005-Apr-28 03:22  r  22 02 29.22 -13 40 43.2   0.66   6.661   296.68 -22.75
2005-Apr-28 08:38 *t  22 03 06.09 -13 37 38.1   0.65   6.668    13.52 -22.78
2005-Apr-28 13:54 *s  22 03 42.94 -13 34 30.8   0.65   6.675    90.36 -22.81
2005-Apr-29 03:20  r  22 05 18.34 -13 26 34.2   0.65   6.693   286.33 -22.88
2005-Apr-29 08:37 *t  22 05 55.25 -13 23 27.1   0.64   6.701     3.41 -22.91
2005-Apr-29 13:54 *s  22 06 32.14 -13 20 17.9   0.64   6.708    80.49 -22.94
2005-Apr-30 03:18  r  22 08 07.11 -13 12 19.1   0.64   6.726   275.98 -23.01
2005-Apr-30 08:36 *t  22 08 44.06 -13 09 10.1   0.63   6.734   353.30 -23.04
2005-Apr-30 13:54 *s  22 09 20.99 -13 05 59.0   0.63   6.741    70.62 -23.06

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The next NASA mission to Mars will be the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
(MRO) which is slated to launch 10 August 2005.  The spacecraft itself
is much larger than either of its two predecessors (Odyssey and MGS)
and will examine Mars in greater detail than ever before.

MRO carries an impressive suite of scientific instruments including
three cameras (HiRISE, CTX, and MARCI), an imaging spectrometer
(CRISM), a radiometer (MCS), and radar (SHARAD).  HiRISE will be the
highest resolution camera NASA has put into Mars orbit and will be
able to see 1 meter sized objects.  CTX will have a resolution of
only 8 meters, but a large field of view to provide a larger area
context for the HiRISE images.  MARCI is a color imager, with 5
visible wavelength bands and two ultraviolet bands which will be able
to provide daily weather reports and detect changes in dust, ozone,
and ices.  CRISM will image areas on Mars in about 560 colors from 
the visible to the near-infrared at a resolution of about 18 meters 
in order to continue the mineralogy studies begun with MGS-TES and 
Odyssey-THEMIS.  It will also be able to map Mars in about 59 of
those colors between its targeted observations.  MCS is a visible-to-
infrared sounder which will measure Mars atmospheric profiles to
get a 3-D look at the weather systems.  SHARAD will use radar to probe
the subsurface of Mars for water and ice.  It will be able to "see"
into the first few hundreds of feet below the surface.

I'm sure we are all looking forward to the launch and first pictures
back from MRO.  For more information on the mission, check out the
official site http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/index.html (you can even
see their countdown-to-launch clock).

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The Mars Exploration Rovers just keep on going and going!  Both Sprit
and Opportunity continue to rove, image, and perform good science.
So far they have been learning about the sand, the rocks in the two
landing areas, driven vast distances, and given us definitive evidence
of past water on Mars.  The results of these missions have been
making their way into the scientific journals and as I read through
them, I'll try to provide some summaries of the major results.

The most recent piece of bit news is that NASA has officially
extended the mission for another 18 months.  This is on top of
the previous mission extension.  Keep looking for new pictures.

If you want to explore some of the results, and other mission
information, see the MER site at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/
and be ready to spend a lot of time!

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Speaking of missions that have been extended, the Mars Odyssey has
begun working overtime after completing its primary mission.  This
extension will allow it to complete another Martian year to build
upon its successes.

Some of its results include finding that the radiation environment
at Mars is two to three times higher than around Earth; the creation
of elemental composition maps for hydrogren, silicon, iron, potassium,
thorium, and chlorine which will be useful in understanding the
Martian mineralogy; discovered that the surface layer in regions north 
and south of the 60 degree latitudes are composed of 50% water ice
by volume---that's a lot of water!

For more information, see http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/ which is
the official NASA web site for the mission.

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The Mars Express, brought to us by the European Space Agency (ESA)
has been in orbit around Mars since December 2003 and since then
has been doing great work.  One of the unique intruments on board
is a high resolution stereoscopic color imager.  This camera has
created many spectacular 3-D looking pictures that have to be
seen to be believed.  As just one example, take a look at
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=34499
which is a perspective view of Valles Marineris.

Another very intriguing result is the discovery of atmospheric
methane.  There are really only three major ways to have methane
on Mars: volcanism (which "turned off" rather long ago), brought
by comet impact, or released by microorganisms.  Methane has also
been seen in some ground-based spectroscopy work, and theoretical
work implies that it can only survive in the atmosphere for a few
hundred years, implying that this stuff is relatively recent.  Very
intriguing indeed.

For more information on Mars Express, visit the ESA web site at
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=9

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Mars Global Surveyor, which began its main mapping phase of Mars
way back on 1 April 1999, is continuing to perform well.  Its
overall health after some 28,500 orbits is good.  Among its lastest
images is one of the rover Opportunity; the the image we can clearly
see the lander and the track made by the rover.  There is also an
image of Spirit at Bonneville crater where we can see the lander,
the tracks, and even the parachute and backshell.  MGS continues
performing targeted observations with the camera and the TES team is
still putting out daily and nightly temperature maps.  This is really
one of the great NASA success stories.

To keep an eye on MGS, go to http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/index.html
which has links to all the "final" and continuing results from all
the instrument teams.

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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
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Rowan University
201 Mullica Hill Road
Glassboro, NJ 08028
	klassen@rowan.edu