CMO/OAA
1996/97 Mars
Observation Reports
- #001 -
~ 15 September
1996
By
Masatsugu
MINAMI
OAA MARS
SECTION
Now the season of the red planet in 1996/97 comes
round. The apparent diameter was only 4.6" arc on 15 September, but the
app decl of the Mars position was around up to +20°,
and hence the planet soon rose high up to the morning
sky, and the image became rather observable. On 7 September, NAKAJIMA (Nj) and the present writer (Mn)
just started the observation at
The Martian season was at 009°Ls on 15 September 1996, and the central latitude read 16°N. On 1 October they
will proceed to 017°Ls and 19°N respectively. The apparent diameter however
will remain small (just upto 4.8" arc).
--- The observations reported to us up until 15 September
is as follows:
HIKI, Toshiaki (Hk), Minowa,
1 Drawing (7
September 1996) 340 × 16cm speculum
MINAMI, Masatsugu (Mn),
6 Drawings (7, 10 September 1996) 340, 400 × 20cm refractor*
NAKAJIMA, Takashi (Nj),
1 Drawing (7 September 1996) 340 × 20cm refractor*
SCHMUDE,
Richard W, Jr (RSc) GA,
2 Drawings (14 Aug;
6+ September 1996) 350,620
× 51cm spec,
500,760 × 61cm spec+
*
Richard SCHMUDE (RSc) tends to be the first
and last and this season started on 14 Aug at 355 °Ls: Drawing at ω=005°W
shows no particular dark marking , the north polar
hood (nph) being not so large. RSc is kidding that
the south polar cap is faintly seen. the observation
on 6 September was at around ω=130°W, and still no definite dark marking
was there but RSc remarks the npc
is distinct. The season was at 005°Ls. Seeing 7/10. RSc measures also the dimensions of the npc/nph,
while we consider that the diameter is too small to find any concrete value.
The observations on 7 September did not show so
positively the presence of the npc. We started from ω=244°W
and observed about two hours. Syrtis Mj was near the limb, but remained faint
for this diameter: Hk just caught it definitely at ω=268°W,
while he didn't the north polar limb more definite than the limb lightning. The
nph thus was whitish but not so bright. On 10 September (007°Ls), the nph was
not so evident, and not so big. Both days, the dark area surrounding the npr was dark composed of Utopia
and Gyndes. The southern limb was light, perhaps the
effect of the presence of the bright
This column is intended to deal with the
observations during the one-month period from the 16th day of the preceding
month to the 15th day of the month when the CMO is published at least for
coming several months. We acknowledge if any observations will reach M MINAMI
at Mikuni by the 20th day .
Fortunately the HST was in conjunction with our
telescope on 18 September 1996, as cautioned in advance by Jim BELL, and at
least the present writer watched the planet four time the night including one
at 20:25 when ω=165°W, to be reported next month, though nothing
particular to be reported. Now the HST will soon shoot the planet at the
beginning of October, and the above Table was made by M MURAKAMI:
ω 045
165 285 °
Oct. 6
(23:30) 07:45
16:00 (GMT)
7 00:10
08:25 16:40
8 00:50
09:05 17:20
9 01:30
09:45 18:00
10 02:10
10:25 18:40
11 02:50
12:05 19:20
The case of ω=045°W will be chased from the middle east to Europe, the case ω=165°W will be the
east to the middle of the
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