The 2014 Mars apparition has already begun. On 1 January 2014, the angular diameter of Mars was 6.9" which was expected to rise up to the maximal value 15.2" on 14 April 2014. This apparition, the first observation which was sent to the CMO/ISMO was the one made at Greece on 27 July 2013 when the angular diameter was only 3.9". By the end of 2013, a total of 84 sets of Mars images were submitted to us and compiled in our Mars Gallery:

 B. Don PARKER Leads the Mars Observation Race this Apparition!

Don PARKER (DPk) produced an excellent image set of Mars on 8 February 2014 (λ=087°Ls) at 08:33 GMT when the surface showed the central longitude-latitude angles of (ω=015°W, φ=20°N) despite the fact that the angular diameter was still under 10". The subtle canal Brangaena is clearly revealed following the two nails of Sinus Meridiani, and a misty-dusty disturbance of the north polar cap (npc) could be well shown. Mare Acidalium is largely and finely depicted with details near the centre. Don obtained this superb description of Mars when he was 75 years old plus eleven days.

 C. Occurrence of an Arctic Polar Cyclonic Cloud

From the end of April, there has been observed a white cloud disturbance in an area to the NW direction of Mare Acidalium as checked from Australia and Japan, though a complete cyclonic cloud caused by the Coriolis force was only observed on 1 May (λ=125°Ls). The cloud must be destroyed at night, while when it has still a potential enough, it could refigure in the next early morning in a different form. The area looked still bright on 4 May, and hence we hope every observer is on the alert over the area if the area comes into sight. The following is a collection of the recent observations in Blue images. (In 1999, the Cyclonic polar cloud appeared at λ=130°Ls. Refer to the first article in http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmomn4/CMO416.pdf)