Mars 2018 apparition overview by D.Peach


ALPO-Japan Latest
Mars 2018 apparition overview by D.Peach


Mars 2018 apparition overview by D.Peach
One of my objectives for 2018 was to obtain enough high quality Mars data to produce a complete image showing an overview of the majority of the apparition.
After around one hundred imaging sessions shooting the red planet during 2018 (remotely from home and in person from Barbados and Chile) ive finally had time to compile the image.
Obviously an enormous amount of work has gone in to being able to produce this both in taking the data from month to month and countless hours of processing.
Many interesting things can be seen across the presentation though most notably:
 1. The changing angular diameter.
 2. Global dust storm wiping out the planet during June-July and its aftermath as the atmosphere slowly clears.
 3. The SPC emerging from its winter hood and shrinking away to a tiny summer remnant.
 4. The tilt of the planet slowly increases southward giving a better view of the small SPC.
Also many typical localised weather events can be seen from Orographic clouds across Elysium/Tharsis to dust filling the Valles Marineris in early August.
My sincere thanks to the guys at Chilescope without which such resolution could not have been achieved.
This concludes my own coverage for this apparition - see you all in 2020!

[Damian Peach: Loudwater,Buckinghamshire,United Kingdom]

ALPO-Japan Latest      Mars Section