Nicolas BIVER #214

Letters to the Editor

From Nicolas BIVER in CMO #214

@ . . . . . Trying this time to match the CMO "deadline", please find here a copy of recent drawings of Mars, from here, Hawaii. Although there could be opportunities to observe the planet every night (weather, somewhere on the island, nearly permits it), the good seeing windows are more rare.
In addition to these drawings, I had a quick look at mars (25.6cm Newtonian, x507), on March 15.55 UT (LCM=330degsW), showing bright Hellas (more obviously seen earlier in the night) south of Syrtis Mj (well visible) and a clean bright white cloud on Chryse in the rising limb. These may have been some white stuff around the npc, too, making it larger. That night, we were trying to take pictures of C/1998M5 (LINEAR) which was stationary in the sky, while only 11' from the celestial pole. But it was quite cloudy and rainy!

(16 Mar 1999 email)

Nicolas BIVER ( Hawaii, USA ) biver@IfA.Hawaii.Edu