31 replies to this topic

[Spaceman Spiff]

So, there's two years to go. What are the details of the 2022 opposition? Will the polar ice caps be large or small? What are the odds of a dust storm ruining the opposition like one did in 2018? 

Edited by Spaceman Spiff, 24 January 2021 - 08:37 PM.

[CPellier]

Well if you want to know how Mars will look in 2022, just look at it tonight in your telescope: the planet now is where it will be again then

The opposition will take place at Ls 351°, so very shortly before the fall equinoxe in the southern hemisphere, and so the south cap will be very small. There can't be no global storm at such a martian season, but it could still happen months before during the summer of 2022 when Mars will pass through perihelion (2007 scenario). From September to November we will however certainly enjoy cross-equatorial storms such as the 2020 November one.

The most interesting thing to look for will be the onset of the equinoxe transition weather over the south pole ; from Ls 350 dust storms cover the polar region to begin forming the future winter polar hood. However this is not something easy to observe.

Edited by CPellier, 25 January 2021 - 05:03 AM.

[Jeff B1]

2022:  http://www.alpo-astr...h/2022_MARS.htm

[chrysalis]

On the date - 12-8-22 - Mars position and size are shown below from CdC:

 

Mars     2022-12- 8  19h27m
Magnitude:  -1.9
Diameter:  17.0 "
Illuminated Fraction: 1.000
Phase:    2 °
Distance:  0.5507 ua
Solar Distance:  1.5354 ua
Position Angle: 327.2
Pole inclination: -5.4
Sun inclination: -3.7
Central meridian: 165.04

J2000 RA:   4h55m49.64s   DE:+24°57'10.2"
Date  RA:   4h57m13.90s   DE:+24°59'15.9"

 

The evening before, 12-7-22, the full Moon will pass very close to Mars.

[Alan French]

The night Mars reaches opposition, December 7/8, 2022, the full Moon will occult Mars. The occultation will be visible from all of North America, except the southeast. (It will be visible from where I live, near Schenectady, NY, but not from southern NY state. It looks the area around Saugerties, NY, will see a graze.)

 

It looks like those in parts of the San Antonio, TX, area will have a deep graze and much south of there will miss it. Use your planetarium app to see what happens where you live. 

 

Mars will appear 17 arcseconds in diameter.

 

Clear skies, Alan 

[Jeff B1]

On the date - 12-8-22 - Mars position and size are shown below from CdC:

 

Mars     2022-12- 8  19h27m
Magnitude:  -1.9
Diameter:  17.0 "
Illuminated Fraction: 1.000
Phase:    2 °
Distance:  0.5507 ua
Solar Distance:  1.5354 ua
Position Angle: 327.2
Pole inclination: -5.4
Sun inclination: -3.7
Central meridian: 165.04

J2000 RA:   4h55m49.64s   DE:+24°57'10.2"
Date  RA:   4h57m13.90s   DE:+24°59'15.9"

 

The evening before, 12-7-22, the full Moon will pass very close to Mars.

Not sure what “CdC” is, from the positions you give it is more in line with astrology than the real physical ephemeris.  Maybe you need to consult with the astronomy community.

[Alan French]

 

The evening before, 12-7-22, the full Moon will pass very close to Mars.

Except in a large SE portion of the U.S., Mars will be occulted by the Moon on the night of December 7/8, 2022. 

 

Clear skies, Alan

[Jeff B1]

Except in a large SE portion of the U.S., Mars will be occulted by the Moon on the night of December 7/8, 2022. 

 

Clear skies, Alan

If you live around the latitude of Atlanta there is a lunar/mars occult at around ~1256UT (0756EST) on Feb 18, 2021. Probably will be visible even with a 12UT (0700EST) Sunrise. 

[Alan French]

Not sure what “CdC” is, from the positions you give it is more in line with astrology than the real physical ephemeris.  Maybe you need to consult with the astronomy community.

Cartes du Ciel, a well respected open source planetarium program. 

 

Clear skies, Alan

[Jeff B1]

Cartes du Ciel, a well respected open source planetarium program. 

 

Clear skies, Alan

WIMP and WinJUPOS seems to be at odds with CdC.  I think it is the date/time in CdC is a but off.  I will check, but I think the date and time are not entered in UT.

[chrysalis]

Not sure what “CdC” is, from the positions you give it is more in line with astrology than the real physical ephemeris.  Maybe you need to consult with the astronomy community.

CdC = Cartes du Ciel

[chrysalis]

Except in a large SE portion of the U.S., Mars will be occulted by the Moon on the night of December 7/8, 2022. 

 

Clear skies, Alan

Interestingly, CdC shows a close passage for me in north central NC but no occultation. Perhaps something is off in what I've told the program on my location. I shall have to check! Anyway, MUCH better if there will be an occultation !!

Edited by chrysalis, 25 January 2021 - 11:06 AM.

[chrysalis]

Interestingly, CdC shows a close passage for me in north central NC but no occultation. Perhaps something is off in what I've told the program on my location. I shall have to check! Anyway, MUCH better if there will be an occultation !!

No, they are correct - 36°15'N, 80°W, Time = UTC - 5Hr.

[Alan French]

Interestingly, CdC shows a close passage for me in north central NC but no occultation. Perhaps something is off in what I've told the program on my location. I shall have to check! Anway, MUCH better if there will be an occultation !!

The southern limit seems to be north of NY City, somewhere just south of Saugerties, NY, and a bit south of San Antonio Texas. I suspect if you drew a line between the two across the U.S. you'd find NC south of the line.

 

Knoxville, TN, is south of the limit and will not see an occulation, according to Sky Safari. 

 

I'm sure someone will find or generate a map showing the southern limit.

 

Clear skies, Alan

[chrysalis]

The southern limit seems to be north of NY City, somewhere just south of Saugerties, NY, and a bit south of San Antonio Texas. I suspect if you drew a line between the two across the U.S. you'd find NC south of the line.

 

Knoxville, TN, is south of the limit and will not see an occulation, according to Sky Safari. 

 

I'm sure someone will find or generate a map showing the southern limit.

 

Clear skies, Alan

LOL! From https://in-the-sky.o...20221208_16_100 . I am pretty well south and east of the line here...

 

Edited by chrysalis, 25 January 2021 - 11:18 AM.

[Alan French]

LOL! From https://in-the-sky.o...20221208_16_100 . I am pretty well south and east of the line here...

 

Mars occultation map_12-7_8-22.png

Thank you!

 

Clear skies, Alan

[Jeff B1]

Can’t find the 2022 predictions on the IOTA page (http://occultations.org/), they have changed it since my last visit.  Not sure about the accuracy of some of the ephemerides on the CdC program; ALPO and I rely on my WIMP and WinJuPOS programs.  My Lunar ephemeris is not the most accurate because used Meeus’ equations instead of the DE402 equations.

 

It is difficult to find the occulat3ation info due to the multitude of astronomy ephemeris info and astrology stuff.  Certain words in the search brings up weird stuff.

 

The event will not be noticed down here in Florida.  Would be neat for a graze somewhere.

Edited by Jeff B1, 25 January 2021 - 12:27 PM.

[Alan French]

The IOTA European Section has information (for Europe, of course) at https://iota-es.de/m...s_20221208.html

 

Clear skies, Alan 

[Jeff B1]

The IOTA European Section has information (for Europe, of course) at https://iota-es.de/m...s_20221208.html

 

Clear skies, Alan 

Years ago I was a member of the IOTA-USA section, but it seems being out of the loop since 2003 leaves one out in the cold.  Last one I was involved in was in July 2003 when the gang in Highlands County, FL got together out in the boon docks (https://www.britastr...f/113-5mars.pdf).  Most of the gang are gone to the Mars heaven.    Grazes are hard to prepare for and not may want to do them.

Edited by Jeff B1, 25 January 2021 - 01:02 PM.

[Alan French]

If you live around the latitude of Atlanta there is a lunar/mars occult at around ~1256UT (0756EST) on Feb 18, 2021. Probably will be visible even with a 12UT (0700EST) Sunrise. 

Now I'm puzzled. I don't see that in Meeus and IOTA-ES says "None" for 2021 occultations. Sky Safari shows the Moon and Mars well below the horizon from Atlanta, and well separated.  

 

Clear skies, Alan

[Jeff B1]

Now I'm puzzled. I don't see that in Meeus and IOTA-ES says "None" for 2021 occultations. Sky Safari shows the Moon and Mars well below the horizon from Atlanta, and well separated.  

 

Clear skies, Alan

I put in the Bing search 2021 Moon/Mars occultations and it came up with https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/lunar-occultation-of-mars-february-18  But that is for 2020.  Not sure why it said 2021.  I think I'll stop using those stupid search engines.  IOTA only lists 2020.  COVID slows them down?

 

Meeus?  I think you mean Meeus' equations?  My Moon program uses his stuff instead of DE 402 or DE 430 equations..

Edited by Jeff B1, 25 January 2021 - 01:34 PM.

[Alan French]

 

Meeus?  I think you mean Meeus' equations?  My Moon program uses his stuff instead of DE 402 or DE 430 equations..

"Astronomical Tables of the Sun, Moon and Planets," by Jean Meeus (Third Edition).

 

Clear skies, Alan

[Jeff B1]

"Astronomical Tables of the Sun, Moon and Planets," by Jean Meeus (Third Edition).

 

Clear skies, Alan

Oh, I didn't look there.  I guess the Bing inserted 2021 and I just didn't notice it.  Sometimes search engines do strange things like auto insert while typing and if you do see it off you go into never never land. 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks for all the replies! 

[Spaceman Spiff]

 

The opposition will take place at Ls 351°, so very shortly before the fall equinoxe in the southern hemisphere, and so the south cap will be very small. 

Does that mean that the NPC will be large just after opposition, since winter will be ending for it?