5 replies to this topic

[BQ Octantis]

I spent a little extra time at the eyepiece before imaging last night. The dust storm appears as a bright, thick streak across the equator. The structure of the disk is defined by the bright filaments of the dust storm vice the normal darker blobs of surface features. While I don't filter at the eyepiece, my camera certainly filters—here's a toggle on the 1-sol changes in R G and B:

 

 

It looks like the major westward shovel-loads headed south, and now thinner, more wide-spread clouds are heading west…

 

BQ

[Asbytec]

Very nice work capturing the animation of a cool event, BQ.

[BQ Octantis]

Thanks Norme!

 

Amazingly enough, I was able to get 4 nights of captures in my cloud + dust storm season:

 

 

But it's clouds from here on out…

 

BQ

Edited by BQ Octantis, 14 November 2020 - 06:29 PM.

[Asbytec]

Amazing enough, indeed. I wish I could have seen some of it during our nearly unprecedented pounding of 5 typhoons. Hopefully the finale of our monsoon season. Seems many folks dislike Martian storms. You make them look nice.

Edited by Asbytec, 14 November 2020 - 06:36 PM.

[BQ Octantis]

Seems many folks dislike Martian storms. You make them look nice.

Thanks for the kind words, Norme!

 

Global dust storms make for a very difficult Mars, especially for beginners (speaking from my 2018 imaging experience). But watching this storm progression is like watching a slow-motion video from the Holi festival in New Delhi.

 

BQ

Edited by BQ Octantis, 14 November 2020 - 09:11 PM.

[Special Ed]

A global storm can be an unfortunate occurrence but these local and regional (or planet encircling) storms are fascinating to watch unfold.  And they can allow us to see, albeit indirectly or by inference, features that would ordinarily be beyond detection visually or only in images by the most talented imagers.  Seeing the dust blow down Valles Marineris is an example of what I mean.