Mars Dust

Ron Baalke wrote:

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...l_marsdust.htm

Mars Dust
NASA Science News
July 9, 2003

Using only backyard telescopes, amateur astronomers are enjoying great views
of dust clouds on Mars

July 9, 2003: Something is happening on Mars and it's so big you can see it
through an ordinary backyard telescope.

On July 1st a bright dust cloud spilled out of Hellas Basin, a giant impact
crater on Mars' southern hemisphere. The cloud quickly spread and by the
Fourth of July was 1100 miles wide--about one-fourth the diameter of Mars
itself.

You won't need a telescope. Martian weather is discernable by naked eye. Large
dust storms will change the planet's hue from the characteristic, metallic blood
red to pale beige.

Hi there. You posted:

You won't need a telescope. Martian weather is discernable by naked eye. Large
dust storms will change the planet's hue from the characteristic, metallic blood
red to pale beige.

You will if you want to actually see this particular cloud, although at
its height, it was reported visible in a 4 inch refractor, so it didn't
take much aperture. As for the color, Mars, at least to me, has never
been even close to "blood red" unless it is quite low towards the
horizon. It looks more of a pale pinkish-orange ("pink salmon"). I
consider the Carbon stars like V Aquilae or TX Piscium to appear more
red to the eye than Mars currently is, although again, these stars are
more of a deep reddish-orange than "blood red". The color change of
Mars as a whole during a major planet-wide dust storm is slight, and
does not really get going until a planet-wide dust storm is near its
height. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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