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

      THE INTERNATIONAL MARSWATCH ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
      -------------------------------------------------
                     Volume 7; Issue 2
                        19 May 2005
                     Circulation: 744

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

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The following table was generated using JPL's online ephemerides site.
Times are all UT.  Dates and times are given for Mars rise (r), 
transit (t), and set (s) although these will only be approximate for
any specific place.  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 (commonly 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-May-19 06:39  r   23 00 26.92 -08 26 24.7   0.44   7.397    78.83 -24.63
2005-May-19 12:14 *t   23 01 04.29 -08 22 47.0   0.44   7.406   160.28 -24.64
2005-May-19 17:48 *s   23 01 41.53 -08 19 08.4   0.43   7.414   241.49 -24.65
2005-May-20 06:37  r   23 03 08.75 -08 10 46.2   0.43   7.435    68.46 -24.67
2005-May-20 12:12 *t   23 03 46.05 -08 07 07.9   0.42   7.444   149.91 -24.68
2005-May-20 17:48 *s   23 04 23.44 -08 03 27.5   0.42   7.453   231.61 -24.69
2005-May-21 06:35  r   23 05 50.27 -07 55 05.4   0.42   7.473    58.09 -24.71
2005-May-21 12:11 *t   23 06 27.60 -07 51 25.9   0.41   7.482   139.79 -24.72
2005-May-21 17:47 *s   23 07 04.91 -07 47 44.9   0.41   7.491   221.48 -24.73
2005-May-22 06:33  r   23 08 31.47 -07 39 22.3   0.41   7.511    47.72 -24.75
2005-May-22 12:10 *t   23 09 08.83 -07 35 41.6   0.40   7.521   129.66 -24.75
2005-May-22 17:47 *s   23 09 46.19 -07 31 59.5   0.40   7.530   211.60 -24.76
2005-May-23 06:31  r   23 11 12.35 -07 23 37.1   0.40   7.550    37.36 -24.77
2005-May-23 12:09 *t   23 11 49.76 -07 19 55.2   0.39   7.560   119.54 -24.78
2005-May-23 17:47 *s   23 12 27.15 -07 16 12.0   0.39   7.569   201.72 -24.79
2005-May-24 06:28  r   23 13 52.82 -07 07 50.5   0.38   7.589    26.75 -24.80
2005-May-24 12:07 *t   23 14 30.27 -07 04 07.6   0.38   7.599   109.17 -24.80
2005-May-24 17:46 *s   23 15 07.69 -07 00 23.3   0.38   7.608   191.60 -24.81
2005-May-25 06:26  r   23 16 33.10 -06 52 01.5   0.37   7.629    16.38 -24.82
2005-May-25 12:06 *t   23 17 10.58 -06 48 17.5   0.37   7.638    99.05 -24.82
2005-May-25 17:46 *s   23 17 48.05 -06 44 32.2   0.37   7.647   181.72 -24.83
2005-May-26 06:24  r   23 19 13.07 -06 36 10.9   0.36   7.668     6.01 -24.84
2005-May-26 12:05 *t   23 19 50.59 -06 32 25.8   0.36   7.678    88.93 -24.84
2005-May-26 17:46 *s   23 20 28.09 -06 28 39.5   0.36   7.687   171.84 -24.84
2005-May-27 06:22  r   23 21 52.74 -06 20 18.8   0.35   7.708   355.65 -24.85
2005-May-27 12:03 *t   23 22 30.18 -06 16 33.4   0.35   7.718    78.56 -24.85
2005-May-27 17:45 *s   23 23 07.72 -06 12 46.1   0.35   7.727   161.72 -24.85
2005-May-28 06:20  r   23 24 32.10 -06 04 25.5   0.34   7.749   345.28 -24.85
2005-May-28 12:02 *t   23 25 09.59 -06 00 39.1   0.34   7.758    68.44 -24.86
2005-May-28 17:45 *s   23 25 47.16 -05 56 50.9   0.34   7.768   151.84 -24.86
2005-May-29 06:18  r   23 27 11.16 -05 48 31.0   0.33   7.789   334.92 -24.86
2005-May-29 12:01 *t   23 27 48.68 -05 44 43.7   0.33   7.799    58.32 -24.86
2005-May-29 17:44 *s   23 28 26.18 -05 40 55.4   0.32   7.809   141.72 -24.86
2005-May-30 06:15  r   23 29 49.80 -05 32 36.4   0.32   7.830   324.31 -24.86
2005-May-30 12:00 *t   23 30 27.47 -05 28 47.6   0.32   7.840    48.20 -24.86
2005-May-30 17:44 *s   23 31 05.00 -05 24 58.4   0.31   7.850   131.84 -24.86
2005-May-31 06:13  r   23 32 28.25 -05 16 40.4   0.31   7.871   313.95 -24.85
2005-May-31 11:58 *t   23 33 05.83 -05 12 51.4   0.31   7.882    37.84 -24.85
2005-May-31 17:44 *s   23 33 43.51 -05 09 00.8   0.30   7.891   121.97 -24.85
2005-Jun-01 06:11  r   23 35 06.38 -05 00 43.9   0.30   7.913   303.59 -24.84
2005-Jun-01 11:57 *t   23 35 43.99 -04 56 54.2   0.29   7.923    27.72 -24.84
2005-Jun-01 17:43 *s   23 36 21.59 -04 53 03.6   0.29   7.933   111.85 -24.84
2005-Jun-02 06:09  r   23 37 44.19 -04 44 47.2   0.29   7.955   293.23 -24.83
2005-Jun-02 11:56 *t   23 38 21.84 -04 40 56.8   0.28   7.965    17.60 -24.82
2005-Jun-02 17:43 *s   23 38 59.47 -04 37 05.4   0.28   7.975   101.97 -24.82
2005-Jun-03 06:07  r   23 40 21.68 -04 28 50.4   0.27   7.997   282.87 -24.81
2005-Jun-03 11:54 *t   23 40 59.25 -04 24 60.0   0.27   8.008     7.24 -24.80
2005-Jun-03 17:42 *s   23 41 36.91 -04 21 08.0   0.27   8.018    91.86 -24.80
2005-Jun-04 06:04  r   23 42 58.74 -04 12 54.4   0.26   8.040   272.27 -24.79
2005-Jun-04 11:53 *t   23 43 36.45 -04 09 02.7   0.26   8.050   357.13 -24.78
2005-Jun-04 17:42 *s   23 44 14.14 -04 05 10.2   0.26   8.061    81.99 -24.78
2005-Jun-05 06:02  r   23 45 35.59 -03 56 58.1   0.25   8.083   261.91 -24.76
2005-Jun-05 11:52 *t   23 46 13.32 -03 53 05.8   0.25   8.094   347.02 -24.75
2005-Jun-05 17:42 *s   23 46 51.04 -03 49 12.7   0.25   8.104    72.12 -24.75
2005-Jun-06 06:00  r   23 48 12.11 -03 41 02.2   0.24   8.126   251.56 -24.73
2005-Jun-06 11:50 *t   23 48 49.77 -03 37 10.1   0.24   8.137   336.66 -24.72
2005-Jun-06 17:41 *s   23 49 27.51 -03 33 16.5   0.24   8.147    62.01 -24.71
2005-Jun-07 05:58  r   23 50 48.31 -03 25 07.1   0.23   8.170   241.21 -24.69
2005-Jun-07 11:49 *t   23 51 25.99 -03 21 14.4   0.23   8.181   326.55 -24.69
2005-Jun-07 17:41 *s   23 52 03.76 -03 17 20.5   0.22   8.191    52.14 -24.68
2005-Jun-08 05:55  r   23 53 24.06 -03 09 13.5   0.22   8.214   230.61 -24.66
2005-Jun-08 11:48 *t   23 54 01.88 -03 05 19.7   0.22   8.225   316.45 -24.65
2005-Jun-08 17:40 *s   23 54 39.57 -03 01 26.0   0.21   8.236    42.04 -24.64
2005-Jun-09 05:53  r   23 55 59.60 -02 53 20.3   0.21   8.258   220.26 -24.61
2005-Jun-09 11:46 *t   23 56 37.33 -02 49 26.7   0.20   8.269   306.10 -24.60
2005-Jun-09 17:40 *s   23 57 15.15 -02 45 32.0   0.20   8.280    32.18 -24.59
2005-Jun-10 05:51  r   23 58 34.81 -02 37 28.2   0.20   8.303   209.92 -24.56
2005-Jun-10 11:45 *t   23 59 12.57 -02 33 34.3   0.19   8.314   295.99 -24.55
2005-Jun-10 17:39 *s   23 59 50.31 -02 29 40.0   0.19   8.325    22.07 -24.54
2005-Jun-11 05:49  r   00 01 09.69 -02 21 37.6   0.18   8.348   199.57 -24.51
2005-Jun-11 11:44 *t   00 01 47.47 -02 17 43.4   0.18   8.360   285.89 -24.50
2005-Jun-11 17:39 *s   00 02 25.23 -02 13 48.8   0.18   8.371    12.21 -24.49
2005-Jun-12 05:46  r   00 03 44.13 -02 05 49.1   0.17   8.394   188.98 -24.46
2005-Jun-12 11:42 *t   00 04 21.94 -02 01 54.6   0.17   8.405   275.55 -24.45
2005-Jun-12 17:38 *s   00 04 59.73 -01 57 59.8   0.17   8.416     2.12 -24.43
2005-Jun-13 05:44  r   00 06 18.36 -01 50 01.7   0.16   8.440   178.64 -24.40
2005-Jun-13 11:41 *t   00 06 56.18 -01 46 06.9   0.16   8.451   265.45 -24.39
2005-Jun-13 17:38 *s   00 07 33.99 -01 42 11.9   0.16   8.462   352.26 -24.37
2005-Jun-14 05:42  r   00 08 52.25 -01 34 16.1   0.15   8.486   168.30 -24.34
2005-Jun-14 11:40 *t   00 09 30.10 -01 30 21.1   0.15   8.498   255.36 -24.32
2005-Jun-14 17:37 *s   00 10 07.83 -01 26 26.6   0.14   8.509   342.17 -24.31
2005-Jun-15 05:40  r   00 11 25.82 -01 18 32.5   0.14   8.532   157.97 -24.27
2005-Jun-15 11:38 *t   00 12 03.59 -01 14 38.0   0.14   8.544   245.02 -24.25
2005-Jun-15 17:37 *s   00 12 41.44 -01 10 42.8   0.13   8.556   332.32 -24.24
2005-Jun-16 05:37  r   00 13 58.95 -01 02 51.6   0.13   8.579   147.39 -24.20
2005-Jun-16 11:37 *t   00 14 36.85 -00 58 56.4   0.12   8.592   234.93 -24.18
2005-Jun-16 17:36 *s   00 15 14.62 -00 55 01.7   0.12   8.603   322.23 -24.16
2005-Jun-17 05:35  r   00 16 31.86 -00 47 12.4   0.11   8.627   137.06 -24.12
2005-Jun-17 11:35 *t   00 17 09.68 -00 43 17.7   0.11   8.639   224.60 -24.11
2005-Jun-17 17:36 *s   00 17 47.58 -00 39 22.4   0.11   8.651   312.38 -24.09
2005-Jun-18 05:33  r   00 19 04.45 -00 31 35.6   0.10   8.675   126.73 -24.05
2005-Jun-18 11:34 *t   00 19 42.29 -00 27 40.8   0.10   8.687   214.51 -24.03
2005-Jun-18 17:35 *s   00 20 20.11 -00 23 46.1   0.10   8.699   302.30 -24.01
2005-Jun-19 05:31  r   00 21 36.72 -00 16 01.3   0.09   8.723   116.40 -23.97
2005-Jun-19 11:33 *t   00 22 14.58 -00 12 06.5   0.09   8.735   204.43 -23.95
2005-Jun-19 17:35 *s   00 22 52.42 -00 08 11.9   0.09   8.747   292.46 -23.92
2005-Jun-20 05:28  r   00 24 08.55 -00 00 30.3   0.08   8.772   105.83 -23.88
2005-Jun-20 11:31 *t   00 24 46.43 +00 03 24.5   0.08   8.784   194.11 -23.86
2005-Jun-20 17:34 *s   00 25 24.29 +00 07 19.0   0.07   8.796   282.38 -23.84
2005-Jun-21 05:26  r   00 26 40.17 +00 14 58.5   0.07   8.821    95.51 -23.79
2005-Jun-21 11:30 *t   00 27 18.07 +00 18 53.2   0.06   8.834   184.03 -23.77
2005-Jun-21 17:34 *s   00 27 55.95 +00 22 47.6   0.06   8.846   272.55 -23.75
2005-Jun-22 05:24  r   00 29 11.46 +00 30 24.4   0.06   8.870    85.19 -23.70
2005-Jun-22 11:28 *t   00 29 49.28 +00 34 18.3   0.05   8.883   173.71 -23.68
2005-Jun-22 17:33 *s   00 30 27.18 +00 38 12.6   0.05   8.896   262.47 -23.65
2005-Jun-23 05:22  r   00 31 42.43 +00 45 47.2   0.04   8.920    74.88 -23.60
2005-Jun-23 11:27 *t   00 32 20.26 +00 49 41.0   0.04   8.933   163.64 -23.58
2005-Jun-23 17:33 *s   00 32 58.19 +00 53 35.0   0.04   8.946   252.64 -23.55
2005-Jun-24 05:19  r   00 34 12.96 +01 01 06.1   0.03   8.971    64.32 -23.50
2005-Jun-24 11:26 *t   00 34 50.92 +01 05 00.3   0.03   8.984   153.57 -23.48
2005-Jun-24 17:32 *s   00 35 28.75 +01 08 53.5   0.03   8.996   242.57 -23.45
2005-Jun-25 05:17  r   00 36 43.26 +01 16 22.1   0.02   9.021    54.01 -23.40
2005-Jun-25 11:24 *t   00 37 21.13 +01 20 15.5   0.02   9.035   143.26 -23.38
2005-Jun-25 17:31 *s   00 37 58.98 +01 24 08.4   0.01   9.048   232.51 -23.35
2005-Jun-26 05:15  r   00 39 13.22 +01 31 34.6   0.01   9.073    43.70 -23.30
2005-Jun-26 11:23 *t   00 39 51.10 +01 35 27.7   0.00   9.086   133.20 -23.27
2005-Jun-26 17:31 *s   00 40 28.96 +01 39 20.2   0.00   9.099   222.69 -23.24
2005-Jun-27 05:12  r   00 41 42.72 +01 46 42.7   0.00   9.125    33.16 -23.19
2005-Jun-27 11:21 *t   00 42 20.61 +01 50 35.5  -0.01   9.138   122.89 -23.16
2005-Jun-27 17:30 *s   00 42 58.48 +01 54 27.5  -0.01   9.151   212.63 -23.13
2005-Jun-28 05:10  r   00 44 11.96 +02 01 47.4  -0.02   9.177    22.85 -23.07
2005-Jun-28 11:20 *t   00 44 49.86 +02 05 39.8  -0.02   9.191   112.84 -23.05
2005-Jun-28 17:30 *s   00 45 27.73 +02 09 31.4  -0.02   9.204   202.82 -23.02
2005-Jun-29 05:08  r   00 46 40.83 +02 16 48.0  -0.03   9.230    12.56 -22.96
2005-Jun-29 11:18 *t   00 47 18.63 +02 20 39.3  -0.03   9.244   102.54 -22.93
2005-Jun-29 17:29 *s   00 47 56.51 +02 24 30.3  -0.04   9.257   192.76 -22.90
2005-Jun-30 05:06  r   00 49 09.33 +02 31 44.2  -0.04   9.283     2.26 -22.84
2005-Jun-30 11:17 *t   00 49 47.13 +02 35 35.0  -0.04   9.297     92.49 -22.81
2005-Jun-30 17:28 *s   00 50 24.90 +02 39 24.8  -0.05   9.311   182.71 -22.78

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The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been delivered to Cape Canaveral!
It arrived in two large containers on an Air Force C-17 and will be
prepared for launch over the next several months.  The spacecraft
is slated to go on 10 August 2005 at 7:53:58 am EDT atop a Lockheed
Martin Atlas V rocket and a Centaur upper stage.  Its nominal mission
will run through 2010 --- but as we know, when NASA is succeeds, they
succeed well so there may be as many mission extensions in MRO's
future as there were for MGS.

Aside from the work it has been designed to do such as characterizing
the climate and geology of Mars to a detail greater than any other
orbiter before it, it will also attempt some detective work.  Project
scientist Rich Zurak will be looking at returned data for evidence
of two lost spacecraft: Beagle 2 and Mars Polar Lander.  You can get
the details, and see a sample of how the MRO HiRISE might see MPL
at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/spotlight/20050412.html.

For more information on the mission, check out the official site 
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/index.html.

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Spirit is continuing its climb into, and study of, the Columbia Hills.
After driving to an outcrop dubbed Methuselah, it began a full
blown study of a rock named Keystone and another named Pittsburgh.
So when do we get some New Jersey names?  The next target is an
outcrop named Jibsheet about a 2-sol drive away.  In the meantime,
Spirit did some soil analysis work in the area before getting on
to the targets Keel and Reef on Jibsheet---looks like a nice,
optimistic, nautical theme is going now.  As of 12 May, Spirit
has traveled a total of 4341.19 meters (about 2.70 miles).

Opportunity has run into a minor spot of trouble.  Late last month
while trying to complete a 90 meter drive, it came to a stop in a
sand dune after only 40 meters.  The engineering team sprang into
action to work out an exit plan while the science teams use this
as an opportunity to do some remote sensing experiments.  This
includes doing more atmospheric science, taking panoramic images
of the rippled dunes, and close up images of its own tracks.  As
of two days ago, Opportunity has made three drive attempts to
get off the dune; due to slippage it has advanced 7.4 cm (about
2.9 inches).  Images of the wheels show that some of the caked
on powder has come off --- a very encouraging result!

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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You can check out the Mars Odyssey THEMIS images --- they post the
latest ones at http://themis.asu.edu/latest.html and this past
month they have released color images of Candor Chasma
(http://themis.asu.edu/zoom-20050513a.html), and a white rock
outcrop in the Pollack Crater in the Sinas Sabeus region
(http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20050506a.html) that is rather
stunning to see.  It is most likely a wind eroded deposit.

The Gamma-Ray Spectrometer team has completed a reworking of
their web site where you can explore the science behind that
map of subsurface water published back in July 2004.  Just click
on their Latest Results button.  The site is at
http://grs.lpl.arizona.edu/content/learning/aboutgrs/.

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

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According to their latest press release, the Mars Express has been
going through its second eclipse season making science returns
difficult.  Many of the results from the first year in orbit
were presented at a conference last February.  Just last week the
MARSIS (Sub-Surface Sounding Radar Altimeter) boom was successfully
deployed.  Once the remaining two booms are deployed, the science
will begin.  MARSIS will be able to map the sub-surface structure
of Mars to a depth of a few kilometers.  You can also find the
latest images and media from the spacecraft at
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=30913&fareaid=63

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

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Mars Global Surveyor has been continuing its great work.  Earlier
this month the MOC team has released images of the Viking Lander
1 and 2 sites, the Mars Pathfinder site, and perhaps, the Mars
Polar Lander site.  You can see the images yourself at
http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/2005/05/09/ and
http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/2005/05/05/.  You can get
daily temperature profiles from the TES team which show that
the warmest spots are now getting up to about 0C; details
are at http://tes.asu.edu/daily.html which shows a nice plot
of temperature vs. latitude for a recent orbit (#27452!).

The MOLA instrument has not been able to collect altimetry data
since 30 June 2001, but it is instead continuing to measure the
radiance of Mars at a wavelength of 1064 nm.  You can see weekly
maps at http://ltpwww.gsfc.nasa.gov/tharsis/processing_info/.

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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The Phoenix Mars Lander is currently being developed and built for
an expected launch in August 2007 for arrival at Mars in May 2008.
It will land in, and explore, the martian arctic soil for any life
signatures and study the water-ice in the near sub-surface for about
three months.  The mission is named after the mythical bird which
would end its life in flames only to rise again from its own
ashes to live again.  The Phoenix Mars Lander will resurrect two
previous polar studies: the ill-fated Mars Polar Lander, and the
Mars Surveyor 2001 (which was administratively shelved).

You can see the latest at http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/

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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