Posted on 11/20/2020 3:04:28 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: This may be the best global Mars map made with a telescope based on planet Earth. The image data were captured by a team of observers over six long nights at the Pic du Midi mountaintop observatory between October 8 and November 1, when the fourth rock from the Sun had not wandered far from its 2020 opposition and its biggest and brightest appearance in Earth's night sky. The large telescope used, 1 meter in diameter with a 17 meter focal length, was also used in support of NASA's Apollo lunar landing missions. After about 30 hours of processing, the data were combined to produced this remarkably sharp projected view of the martian surface extending to about 45 degrees northern latitude. The image data have also been mapped onto rotating sphere and rotating stereo views. Fans of Mars can easily pick out their favorite markings on the Red Planet by eyeing a labeled version of this global map of Mars.
(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.
I am not very impressed with today’s photo, but in the explanation at the link there are two nice rotating videos of Mars.
It's amazing quality for an earthbound telescope. Until adaptive optics were introduced, all that could be seen were gray blotches on an blurry ochre disc. Some observers with eyestrain thought they could see connecting lines.
What does that mean, “Mars at opposition” What is this a picture of on Mars?
I think "in opposition" must mean on the opposite side of the earth from the Sun. A roundabout way of saying it is as close to Earth as it's orbit gets. Because that is roughly where Mars is right now.
The photo is a Mars day worth of surface photos that are digitally formed into a rectangular map. See post #6 for labeled features.
Thank you, :)
The photo of mars looks like an ocean shot with red tones. Does not look like a landscape at all. It is confusing to me in that way.
In Art Bell days, there used to be all this interest in the “face” on Mars, Sidonia. I would go and look at some of the images, and there were some pretty interesting ones, some that looked like ruins hanging on cliff sides and old tumbled down fortresses. Years later they got better photos at a different angle and the face disappeared.
Here are some Mars Photos. I like the names....this is Hydapsis Chaos!
https://themis.mars.asu.edu/zoom-20161102a
(You can see the giant Ant Lion pits on the cliff in the center!)
Moreax Crater!
https://themis.mars.asu.edu/zoom-20171122a
The color enhanced dunes look like tadpoles swimming around!)
Hydraotes Chaos
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA07487
Genera links to Themis pictures.
https://themis.mars.asu.edu/image_of_the_day
https://themis.mars.asu.edu/zoom-20161102a
I am never able to find a looking glass.
Just to be sure, am I missing the flag that the Astronauts planted?
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