“Dust storms can produce quite pronounced changes to the dark albedo features, as vast amounts of dust tend to be moved and deposited into new locations”
Long-term changes
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At Ls=0°, a phenomenon known as the ‘equatorial cloud band’ (ECB) should start to make an appearance. The ECB takes the form of a thin white cloud along the equator; when it passes over darker regions like Syrtis Major, it can make the features appear bluish. Watch out for this from early February onwards.
The well-known dust storm season stars from about Ls=240°, so keep an eye out for them (see box
All of these seasonal effects result in long-term changes to the planet’s surface. Dust storms in particular can produce quite pronounced changes to the dark albedo features, as vast amounts of dust tend to be moved and deposited into new locations. One only has to look back at a map of Mars drawn in the 1960s to see how a number of features like Syrtis Major and Solis Lacus have changed over time. In the last few years the northern hemisphere albedo feature known as Acidalium has changed considerably and it will be important to track any new changes which result in future dust storms.
It is well worth recording your observations in a log book (see box, page 69) as this will allow you to keep track of all of the changes and seasonal weather patterns that you have observed. It’s also a great way to become familiar with Martian geography, especially if you have several drawings of the same feature.
It is going to be some time before we have another splendid Mars apparition like the one we have at the moment. Take the chance to follow the Red Planet for as long as possible and keep track of all of the interesting developments occurring on it.
is director of the British Astronomical Society’s Mercury and Venus section. He is a theoretical physicist at the University of Leicester
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