Mars Apparition 2011-2012.

Observing Site: Selsey, UK. +50°43' N, 00°47" W. 

Opposition date: March 5th, 2012. Apparent Opposition Diameter: 13.89". Declination:+10°34'. Constellation: Leo.

 

Rotation Movie 2012. The entire face of Mars is seen in this movie made from images obtained during March 2012.


Mars in 2012 - Whole planet map. Made from images obtained during March 2012. The entire visible face of the planet.


Mars on May 28th, 2012. Diam=8.05". Excellent seeing. Extensive clouds across the planet. The Tharsis volcanoes are seen as dark spots with Olympus and Arsia Mons especially prominent. Bright clouds in the far north near the NPC.


Mars on May 24th, 2012. Diam=8.28". Good seeing. Brilliant Tharsis clouds. Olympus Mons flanked by bright clouds. Small misty cloud over Alba Patera.


Mars on May 13th, 2012. Diam=8.97". Very good seeing. Brilliant Elysium cloud. Misty clouds over Syrtis Major showing a weak blue colour. Hellas bright with clouds in the south. Olympia brilliant alongside the NPC.


Mars on May 12th, 2012. Diam=9.04". Good to excellent seeing. Hellas bright with clouds. Olympia bright alongside the NPC. Chasma Borealis visible cutting across the NPC. Brilliant Elysium cloud.


Mars on May 6th, 2012. Diam=9.47". Good seeing. Hellas brilliant in the south covered with cloud/frost. Small patch of cloud extending into Chryse. No Blue Syrtis Cloud is apparent.


Mars on May 1st, 2012. Diam=9.86". Fair seeing. Dense haze present over Chryse extending over Nilokeras.


Mars on April 21st, 2012. Diam=10.70". Excellent seeing. Extensive clouds across the planet forming a prominent Equatorial cloud band. Tharsis volcanoes all appear as dark spots and Olympus Mons is especially prominent.


Mars on April 14th, 2012. Diam=11.32". Good seeing. Brilliant Tharsis clouds again. Olympus Mons flanked by clouds. Olympia and Ierne bright alongside the NPC.


Mars on April 13th, 2012. Diam=11.41". Excellent seeing. NPC outlier Olympia looks fragmented. Complex cloud patterns across the planet. Brilliant clouds around the Tharsis volcanoes. Olympus Mons flanked by bright clouds.


Mars on April 4th, 2012. Diam=12.22". Fair to good seeing. Weak Blue Syrtis Cloud. Bright cloud over Elysium. NPC outlier Olympia bright.


Mars on April 2nd, 2012. Diam=12.40". Fair seeing. Syrtis Major central. Hellas bright in the south. Brilliant orographic cloud over Elysium Mons on the limb.


Mars on April 1st, 2012. Diam=12.49". Good seeing. Hellas bright with clouds/frost.


Mars on March 30th, 2012. Diam=12.66". Good seeing. Hellas bright in the far south with clouds/frost. Syrtis Major well seen with hazy clouds over Isidis regio.


Mars on March 29th, 2012. Diam=12.74". Good seeing. Prominent clouds over Chryse and Acidalium. Bright Blue Syrtis Cloud.


Mars on March 28th, 2012. Diam=12.82". Fair to good seeing. Prominent Blue Syrtis Cloud. Hellas bright on the limb.


Mars on March 26th, 2012. Diam=12.98". Fair to poor seeinf. Bright clouds over Tempe. A weak equatorial cloud band is again present.


Mars on March 25th, 2012. Diam=13.05". Fair to good seeing again. Bright clouds over Tharsis extending into an equatorial cloud band.


Mars on March 24th, 2012. Diam=13.13". Fair to good seeing. Much the same view as the night before. Note the dark spot of Ascraeus Mons poking through the clouds at left.


Mars on March 23rd, 2012. Diam=13.20". Excellent seeing. Extensive delicate cloud patterns across the disk. Chasma Borealis rift is prominent in the NPC.


Mars on March 19th, 2012. Diam=13.46". Fair to good seeing. The Tharsis volcanoes are seen as dark spots surrounded by clouds.


Mars on March 18th, 2012. Diam=13.51". Poor to fair seeing. Solis lacus is prominent in the far south. Note the Tharsis volcanoes seen as dark spots surrounded by clouds.


Mars on March 14-15th, 2012. Diam=13.71". Excellent seeing. Extensive clouds over the Tharsis volcaoes. Note how they increase as the region rotates toward the limb. Olympus Mons is very prominent as centre with its western side flanked by cloud. An unusual high altitude limb cloud was also captured (cutout inset.)


Mars on March 11th, 2012. Diam=13.81". Very good seeing. Extensive ororaphic clouds over the Tharsis volcanoes.


Mars on March 8th, 2012. Diam=13.87". Fair seeing. Olympus Mons is prominent flanked by clouds.Elysium is clear of clouds. Bright NPC outlier Olympia is prominent.


Mars on March 1st, 2012. Diam=13.86". Poor to fair seeing. Elysium is well seen with weak orographic cloud.


Mars on February 29th - March 1st, 2012. Diam=13.84". Excellent seeing. Syrtis Major is seen in detail along with Hellas to the far south. Brilliant orographic cloud over Elysium.


Mars on February 24th, 2012. Diam=13.64". Fair seeing. Prominent Blue Syrtis Cloud on the limb.


Mars on February 22nd, 2012. Diam=13.54". Fair/Good seeing. NPC appears surrounded by the dark Lowell band. Some faint limb hazes present.


Mars on February 20th, 2012. Diam=13.42". Fair seeing. Much the same view as the day before.


Mars on February 19th, 2012. Diam=13.35". Poor seeing. Chryse and Mare Acidalium are central. NPC receeded rapidly during the last several days.


Mars on February 12th, 2012. Diam=12.82". Fair seeing. Solis Lacus is nicely seen with weak clouds over Chryse and the Tharsis volcanoes.


Mars on February 2nd, 2012. Diam=11.92". Poor seeing. Elysium is central with weak clouds. Olympus Mons appearing on the limb with bright cloud.


Mars on January 27th, 2012. Diam=11.33". Fair seeing. Syrtis Major is well seen. bright orographic cloud over Elysium. Faint rift in the NPC.


Mars on January 17th, 2012. Diam=10.38". Fair seeing. Mare Acidalium and Sinus Meridiani are well presented. Little cloud activity over this hemisphere.


Mars on November 23rd, 2011. Diam=6.72". Elysium is central with weak clouds over it. Bright morning limb clouds over Libya. Also a weak cloud to the far south. The NPC again appears brilliant.


Mars on November 18th, 2011. Diam=6.52". Syrtis Major is headed off with the Elysium volcano headed on covered in weak orographic clouds. The North Polar Cap is brilliant in appearance.


Mars on September 28th, 2011. Diam=5.11". Sinus Meridiani is prominent with Mare Acidalium headed off the disk. Bright clouds around the NPC.


Mars on September 23rd, 2011. Diam=5.02". Solis Lacus is again prominent with Mare Acidalium and Erythraeum prominent. Clouds are visible around the NPC.


Mars on September 22nd, 2011. Diam=5.00". Solis Lacus is prominent with clouds/haze over Tharsis. 


Mars on September 15th, 2011. Diam=4.89". The first set of images obtained for the apparition. Tharsis is presented with weak clouds over the region and surrounding the NPC. Solis Lacus is seen at the edge of the disk.

 


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