Mars Apparition Notes - 2022-2023 Featured Observations
Ice Storms Near Syrtis Minor
10/15/2022
Mars Shows a False SPC in Early October
10/12/2022
Large expanse of bright white dominates the South Polar Regions. The Red-filtered image of 2022-10-05 is the strongest showing
of the three filters especially compared to the Blue-filtered image. This suggests possible CO2 or H2O ice on the ground.
Late September Regional Dust Storm
10/2/2022
Early dust clouds observed on September 23, 2022. See below for images.
As of September 30, 2022 dust clouds spread Eastward as far as Hellas in the Southern hemisphere
and Ismenia Lacus in the Northern hemisphere.
Stable Ground Ice North of the South Polar Cap
8/2/2022
Two image montages dated 2022-07-25 and 2022-07-29 below provide
evidence for ground ice and snowfall. Arrows point to the ice-feature for
the blue, green and red filters. The red filter image carries the most
weight for ice on the ground. If the feature was a cloud, it would not be
be present or only weakly present with a red filter. Over the four-day
period the ice was stable and did not sublime. The source could be
snowfall providing enough depth to be stable. A polar cold front was
imaged at the feature’s location a week before the ground ice was imaged.
If the feature was frost then sunlight probably would be enough for
sublimation.
July 25, 2022
July 29, 2022
Dust Brightens Dark Markings
2/15/2022
Dark features including Mare Hadriacum, Ionium, Iapygia, Yaonis Regio,
and Hellespontus are only faintly visible in Clyde Foster’s February 01,
03 and 07 images below. Arrows point to these features. Airborne
dust is also normally tan colored in color balanced images. However it is
proposed that there is dust is on the ground that is brightening the
normally dark features. Next see a montage of his April 01, 02 and
03 images. Arrows point to the same regions and once again show the tan
color. However there are no notable changes over a two-month period that
suggests at least a semi-permanent ground cover of dust. There may have
been recent dust clouds that settled out over these areas.
Images by Clyde Foster