Solar��Planetary LtE Now for CMO/ISMO #54 (CMO #428)

Solar & Planetary LtE Now for CMO/ISMO #54 (CMO #428) �

Not every email is necessarily cited in the PDF�s CMO LtE

To see the preceding ones, click

LtE#427

CMO/ISMO Index Page

The latest is at the top

��Mars highlights page updated

Received: 30 October 2014 at 06:08 JST

Hi everyone,

Please see

�http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/marsblog/2013/10/20/201112-features-observations/

Comments or questions most welcome.

Good seeing,

Jim MELKA (Chesterfield, MO)

��RE: Mars 28 October

Received: 30 October 2014 at 03:39 JST

Hello, Clyde,

So glad to see these images - seems like a nice observatory you have there!

Padma YANAMANDRA-Fisher (Space Science Institute, CA)

��RE: Mars 28 October

Received: 30 October 2014 at 03:27 JST

Good evening all

Images from this evening.� Unfortunately rather poor conditions.

Blue channel very difficult to capture

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141029/CFs29Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: RE: RE: Mars and bad weather on the Earth

Received: 29 October 2014 at 04:14 JST

Dear Masatsugu

Thank you very much for your e-mail and the anecdotes. I will definitely
respond when I have a little more time and can respond properly!

Best regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: RE: Mars 28 October

Received: 29 October 2014 at 03:19 JST

Hi, all

A couple of more images of the observatory. Apologies for the large size.

Best regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 28 October

Received: 29 October 2014 at 03:08 JST

Good evening all

Images from this evening. I also took a couple of quick pics of the observatory while I was imaging, as I thought you may be interested in my backyard setup- my "hideaway" after a tough day in the office�...!! As you can see it was still quite light and Mars is still at a reasonably good elevation. Will send a few more in a following e-mail, due to the size.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141028/CFs28Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 26 October

Received: 27 October 2014 at 02:48 JST

Good evening all

Images from this evening.

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141027/CFs27Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 26 October

Received: 27 October 2014 at 02:48 JST

Good evening all

Finally got a break in the weather, with reasonable conditions.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141026/CFs26Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: solar images 25-Oct-2014

Received: 26 October 2014 at 19:56 JST

Hi Guys this was first light using a ZWO ASI120MM-S Monochrome 1/3" CMOS USB3.0 .

I set up in cloud and practiced a few captures on local tv antennas. The sky cleared at 11:30 and I tried a few 2000 frame avis with a 2X POWERMATE on my AP EDT130 F8.35 STARFIRE refractor + wedge, where the full glory of AR2192 fitted comfortably on the chip.

�

The seeing was excellent and I was struck by the nice gamma control and range of greys on screen . I was using the latest version of Firecapture.

�

I did a quick process to make sure that Autostakkert could handle the full frame 2.4Gb files. No problems. I switched over to Ha, got a tantalising glimpse and solid cloud came back. The best of the seeing was at 11:32. By 11:56 it was back to its shabby normal. I danced three times round the mount to thank the seeing Gods, and threw my back out !

�

The attached images are all from that first avi.

Best wishes

Dave TYLER (Bucks, the UK)

www.david-tyler.com
Ham call G4PIE

��Subject: Jupiter 19, 23, 25 October 2014

Received: 26 October 2014 at 17:34 JST

Jupiter images� J141019

Jupiter images� J141023

Jupiter images� J141025

Tomio AKUTSU (Tochigi, JAPAN)

��Subject: RE: CMO/ISMO updated

Received: 26 October 2014 at 13:53 JST

Dear Masami and Masatsugu

Thank you very much for the latest CMO/ISMO. It is exciting and very
encouraging, as a new Mars imager and observer, for me to see your comments.
Thank you for taking the time to annotate the images.

In the LtE I was particularly moved by the comments of Reiichi KONNAI.
Please can you confirm what the title is of (Mr/Mrs/Dr?) KONNAI? If possible
can you provide me with the e-mail address as I would like to thank
him(her?) personnally for the comments.

Further, am I able to "copy and paste" sections of the CMO/ISMO/LtE for
circulation/communication/presentation purposes? I would of course always
mention where the content has come from, and credit the CMO/ISMO
accordingly.

Best regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 25 October- RED ONLY

Received: 26 October 2014 at 02:48 JST

Good evening all

Our poor weather conditions are continuing, although we do need the rain!

During twilight, there were some small gaps in the clouds, and I JUST managed to capture a 90s red avi. By the time I switched to green, I was clouded over. I am thinking if its not best to try the colour camera under these conditions��

I don�t think the red image came out too badly, so am circulating for information anyway.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141025/CFs25Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: RE: Mars and bad weather on Earth

Received: 25 October 2014 at 14:25 JST

Hi, all

I may be getting a bit imaginitive, but just over a week ago, we had a very unusual(for this region) dust storm in Gauteng, South Africa. I went out for supper with my son, and when we came out after our meal we could see and smell the dust in the air, and it left a fine layer over everything. It was quite surreal. It was exceptionally fine, and from the fine dust seen in many Mars rover images, I can just imagine this type of condition occurring on Mars. A few years ago I landed in Dubai and the same afternoon a huge dust strom came over the city- very impressive to watch as it came in, but likely "small" compared with what we are seeing on Mars!

Best regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars and bad weather on Earth

Received: 25 October 2014 at 14:15 JST

Hi, all

Just a quick update as you may have noticed I have been quiet for a few days. We have been having beautiful warm clear days, but as we move towards the end of the day, clouds move in with thunderstorms and high wind. Although I monitor for gaps, the conditions are exceptionally poor (I did some captures on the 22 Oct between strorm clouds, but the result was very poor)

As soon as I am able to get back up and going , I will do so.

Best regards and have a great weekend

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: AR12192 Development 17-24 October

Received: 24 October 2014 at 23:07 JST

Hi All,

It has been a bit of a struggle obtaining clear views of this region from parts of the UK. I missed it on the 19th due to being away from my observatory and was totally clouded out on the 23rd. Other opportunities have been grabbed by imaging through cloud gaps or thin, variable cloud. Seeing has been generally poor from my location due to a northerly component in the wind. This shifted to come from the west today and provided more stable conditions albeit with heavy cloud.

Here is a development sequence for the region from 17-24 October. As Dave says, tomorrow looks more promising.

AR12192 is currently 2740 millionths of the Sun's disc in size. The largest on record is the Great Sunspot of 1947 which covered 6132 millionths, so AR12192 has a way to go...

Best regards,

Pete LAWRENCE (Selsey, WS, the UK)

��Subject: Solar Images 20-21-22-Oct 2014

Received: 24 October 2014 at 22:45 JST

Hi Guys In spite of the weather forecasts, this area had just enough blue stuff to grab the big spot group AR 2192, on three consecutive days. The seeing was best on the 20th.

The image from the 21st shows a PUD i.e. a Peripheral Umbral Spot.

The Ha Images are full of flares, and show the magnetic field effects stretching out three times the width of the visible light images. The weather has been permanent cloud since, but looks promising for tomorrow.

Best wishes

Dave TYLER (Bucks, the UK)

www.david-tyler.com
Ham call G4PIE

��Subject: AR 2192 a monster in the sky

Received: 24 October 2014 at 03:31 JST

Hi All,

Was able to image this enormous sunspot group, today, during a short break in the clouds.

Imaging done with my 13cm Opticon Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, 1.8x barlow projection and a DMK webcam 31AU03.

Enjoy the views.

Best regards.

Leo AERTS (BELGIUM)

��Subject: Jupiter 2014.10.03 with 1m scope at Pic du Midi

Received: 23 October 2014 at 19:36 JST

Dears,

With some delay, here are the processing results of one session under less than average conditions, at Pic du Midi with the one meter scope. I reduced the results down to 75% of original acquisition size. No flash impact detected over 40.3min videos with DeTeCt (cf. http://www.astrosurf...ct_detect.shtml ).

RGB:
http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003-04h34.6UT-PIC.jpg

Two IR, first one is the best resolved image from the session:
http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003i-04h31.7UT-PIC.jpg

http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003i-05h20.0UT-PIC.jpg

In methane absorption band (in binning x2):

http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003c-05h00.8UT-PIC.jpg

Now one luminance, and all individual color layers:

http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003l-04h33.6UT-PIC.jpg

http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003r-04h36.0UT-PIC.jpg

http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003g-04h34.0UT-PIC.jpg

http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/planches/j20141003b-04h33.7UT-PIC.jpg

Regards,

Marc DELCROIX (Tournefeuille, FRANCE)

http://astrosurf.com/delcroix

��Subject: RE: Solar Images AR2192 on 19-Oct-2014

Received: 21 October 2014 at 18:42 JST

Hi Dave and other solar fans,

Did also succeeded in capturing the gigantic sunspot on October 19th 2014. Seeing was bad and strong wind gusts made it difficult getting some decent results. I would have liked to use the C14 but the spot almost did�nt match in the field of view with that telescope. Decided to use a small Schmidt-Cassegrain : a 13 cm Opticon Schmidt-Cassegrain. With that telescope the solar limb was still included.

Enjoy the view !

Let�s hope that the coming week will give some breaks in the clouds, large enough to image again this sunspot.

2014 October 19, 08:43 UT

�

Best regards.

Leo AERTS (BELGIUM)

��Subject: Solar images 17-20 October

Received: 21 October 2014 at 16:31 JST

Hi All,

Here are some shots of AR12192 emerging from behind the Sun's eastern limb on the 17th, to being nicely on view on the 20th October. The region is easy naked eye through an appropriate safety filter. The region has been showing some decent flare activity. Interestingly we're now 11 years ahead of the 2003 Halloween aurora. It would be a fitting co-incidence if AR12192 kicked off a similar display!

http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/solar/2014/2014-10-17_Sun_110326.jpg

http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/solar/2014/2014-10-18_123213.jpg

http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/solar/2014/2014-10-20_104310UTC_AR12192.jpg

http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/solar/2014/2014-10-20_10-57-53_quark-cs.jpg

Best regards,

Pete LAWRENCE (Selsey, WS, the UK)

��Subject: Re: Mars 20 October- POSSIBLE DUST ACTIVITY IN IAPYGIA

Received: 21 October 2014 at 13:29 JST

Thanks for the comments Jim. I note that the "bright" areas that you mention also seem to show in the green channel image, although the activity in the Iapygia region shows as two possible "cells" in the green image. Any comments on interpreting this? My previous dust storms showed bright in red, and to a lesser extent in green (but still clearly shown). Have attached the same image for easy reference.

Interesting, and will certainly try and capture more images over the next few evenings.

Best regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Solar Images AR2192 on 19-Oct-2014

Received: 21 October 2014 at 09:24 JST

Hi Guys lucky cloud breaks allowed me to have a go at the fantastic AR 2192. The gaps were not big enough to capture my normal quantity of frames so some of the mosaic's components are a bit noisy . See was iffy too, I could not see granulation on screen at all during capture. I was very thankful though to grab the best spot in a decade. It looks far less spectacular in Ha, even with some flare activity.

Best wishes

Dave TYLER (Bucks, the UK)

www.david-tyler.com
Ham call G4PIE

��Subject: Re: Mars 20 October- POSSIBLE DUST ACTIVITY IN IAPYGIA

Received: 21 October 2014 at 08:05 JST

Thanks for the Mosaic Clyde! I'm concentrating on your red image on Oct. 20 that shows numerous 'bright spots over most of Mare Tyrrhenem compared with the Oct 19 image. From my experience with planetwide or global dust storms, they start spontaneously as individual dust clouds and then coalesce. Yes, I think that is a large dust cloud in Iapygia. This is really getting interesting! Let's see what happens.

Good seeing,

Jim MELKA (Chesterfield, MO)

��Subject: Mars 20 October- POSSIBLE DUST ACTIVITY IN IAPYGIA

Received: 21 October 2014 at 04:20 JST

Good evening all

Kindly note that the subject of my e-mail yesterday evening should have been Mars 19 October and not Mars 18 October

It appears that the activity in the Iapygia region has expanded somewhat, although I am hesitant to make any absolute comments (you will note that there are a few question marks�.. :-) ). Conditions were poor this evening due to me imaging a bit later than normal (I had a few camera problems).

I have also done a mosaic of the last 4 evenings just to get a feel for the changes taking place.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141020/CFs20Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

���Subject: Mars 20th October 2014

Received: 20 October 2014 at 21:08 JST

Unfortunately, the seeing here in the early evenings has been very poor, and appears to be getting worse as our seasons change.
Attached is an image of Mars taken this evening in poor seeing.
Electris appears to be very bright in the R filter and also prominent in G & IR...
I could not resolve any details visually due to the poor seeing conditions.

Best wishes
http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141020/MVl20Oct14.jpg

Maurice VALIMBERTI (Melbourne, AUSTRALIA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 19 October

Received: 20 October 2014 at 05:03 JST

Good evening all

It looks to me that the Libya bright area has dissipated somewhat. One change to note from yesterdays image is the light extension from the northern side of Hellas towards the terminator (Iapygia region?). This gives Hellas a flattened "Q" shape as against the flattened "O" shape of yesterday. As this is my first apparition, and I am seeing areas that I have not observed previously, any comments are welcome.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141019/CFs19Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 18 October- DUST STORM ACTIVITY IN LIBYA/OSIRIDIS REGION

Received: 19 October 2014 at 22:18 JST

Thanks for the comments Christophe. It has been pointed out to me that there is sometimes a bright area in the Osiridis region (right up against Syrtis Major), which may account for the 2nd bright area (more northern). I am hoping to image this evening and see if there are any further developments.

�Best regards, clyde

Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you!

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 18 October- DUST STORM ACTIVITY IN LIBYA/OSIRIDIS REGION

Received: 19 October 2014 at 18:34 JST

Very interesting Clyde,
A storm probably identical to that observed in July 2003 when activity crossed the martian equator through Isidis planitia and triggered an active regional storm around Hellas/Syrtis Major.

Let's see how it behaves on the following days!

Christophe PELLIER (Nantes, FRANCE)

��Subject: Uranus images 2014.10.03/04 with storm from Pic du Midi

Received: 19 October 2014 at 17:16 JST

Dears,

Here are the rest of my observations on Oct. 4th with the one meter telescope under less good conditions than the night before, but showing the storm transiting with a position 5ｰ higher than the predictions (220.5ｰ L1, 34.6ｰ planetographic latitude). Please note that the storm brightens when close to transit (00h52.7UT image while transit was predicted at 00h38UT) and then fades away. Also it seems of the same brightness as the polar area, while on earlier images it was brighter.

Animation of the transit:

Individual IR images:

R,G,B images without any details except for the brighter polar are attached

Regards,

Marc DELCROIX (Tournefeuille, FRANCE)

http://astrosurf.com/delcroix

��Subject: Jupiter 18 October 2014

Received: 19 October 2014 at 16:14 JST

Jupiter images� J141018

Tomio AKUTSU (Tochigi, JAPAN)

��Subject: Mars 18 October- DUST STORM ACTIVITY IN LIBYA/OSIRIDIS REGION

Received: 19 October 2014 at 04:42 JST

Good evening all

I can confirm development of dust storm in the Libya/Osiridis region. There appears to have been two "cells" which were indicated yesterday. The southern cell certainly seems to have intensified somewhat.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141018/CFs18Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 17 October- POSSIBLE DUST ACTIVITY IN LIBYA/OSIRIDIS REGION?　

Received: 19 October 2014 at 01:48 JST

Hi, Padma

I think I can confirm there is a dust storm in Libya region. Have just processed the red channel from this evening(attached). Will complete the others shortly.

Regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 17 October- POSSIBLE DUST ACTIVITY IN LIBYA/OSIRIDIS REGION?　

Received: 18 October 2014 at 19:32 JST

Hello, All,

Is this dust activity confirmed? any background information?

Padma YANAMANDRA-Fisher (Space Science Institute, CA)

��Subject: Mars 17 October- POSSIBLE DUST ACTIVITY IN LIBYA/OSIRIDIS REGION?　

Received: 18 October 2014 at 03:12 JST

Good evening all

I suspect dust activity in the Libya/Osiridis region, showing best in the red channel image, although also bright in RGB. Any comments welcome.

Some detail visible in Hellas (Peneus and Zea Lacus?)

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141017/CFs17Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Re: FW: A hundred years ago todaqy　

Received: 18 October 2014 at 05:20 JST

That's OK Bill, wait till you get to be my age

I have attached another memorable photo, showing yours truly masquerading as Uncle Percy as he might have looked while observing Mars. Photo is thanks to Terence Dickinson.

Klaus BRASCH

��Subject: Re: For CMO/ISMO essay　

Received: 18 October 2014 at 04:04 JST

Dear Masatsugu,

I will scan some images for you shortly, and hope to do the continuation of our travel-log in the next issue.

Then, perhaps, belatedly, I shall tackle the important subject of W.H. Pickering.
All the best,
Bill
P.S. Could you gauge for me Reiichi KONNAI's interest in coming to Flagstaff for an event in 2016?

I have still not given up hope you can attend too.

Bill SHEEHAN (Willmar, MN)

��Subject: Stars of Hope　

Received: 18 October 2014 at 01:23 JST

Dear Dr. Minami, all,

In this apparition I hadn�t been able to observe Mars since the last June because of the construction of our new dental clinic/house/observatory. And when my POD (Personal Observatory Dome) and the MEADE LX200-30ACF (305mm Schmidt-Cassegrain) were crane lifted and moved onto the rooftop terrace of our new house, Mars was already dipping beneath the south-western mountain range in the late afternoon when our clinic closed. It was most regrettable that my observation of Mars in this opposition have ended up halfway�.in the last 2011/12 apparition I had visually chased the red planet up until 05 August 2012 when it was as small as 5.7″across, almost disappearing behind the western mountain ridge!

Southern hemisphere observers� unyielding focus on the retreating Mars is most applaudable. Please find attached a montage comparing Clyde FOSTER�s ground-based image with one by the MRO/MARCI taken on the same day 06 October 2014. Note the prominent regional dust over Xanthe (yellow arrowed) explicitly shown either on the ground based image and on the probe�s one, just looks like a cross-equatorial storm common in this Martian season as Christophe PELLIER suggested in his LtE dated 06 October 2014. Moreover classical�Mons Argenteus�, a whitish inverted triangular spot just north off almost touching the SPC border often observed around this Martian season, is just discernable on the FOSTER�s image (red arrowed). As shown on the MRO image, it may be inferred that the Argyre Planitia and the northern adjoining lower flatter area in Nereidum Montes collectively looks as a bright inverted triangle patch (also red arrowed). Refer to Masatsugu MINAMI�s 2001 Mars CMO Note #12 Mons Argenteus (CMO #266) :
http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmohk/266Note12/index.html

Also attached here is a montage consists of FOSTER�s complete set of images on 12 October 2014 and the similar angle image by MOM/ISRO taken some two weeks before. Note the Indian probe�s exquisite image shows a good match with the FOSTER�s ones : fully exposed SPC, bare Hellas, North Polar Hood, and the familiar albedo markings as well. It is quite encouraging that those large scale Martian meteorological phenomena can be recorded by our colleague observers still pursuing that tiny waygoing red planet! May our Stars of Hope in the southern hemisphere go on shining through the future apparitions!

Best Regards,

Reiichi KONNA� (Fukushima, JAPAN)

��Subject: FW: A hundred years ago tomorrow　

Received: 18 October 2014 at 01:18 JST

Dear colleagues,
Embarrassed to say I was off a day. Today is Oct. 17, and so today�not tomorrow�is the centennial of the Lowell photo. But all of you knew that!

Best, Bill

Bill SHEEHAN (Willmar, MN)

��Subject: A hundred years ago tomorrow　

Received: 18 October 2014 at 01:07 JST

Dear Fellow Martians and other planetary enthusiasts,

   When I was last at Lowell Observatory, I was able to establish that the attached photo�perhaps the most iconic in planetary astronomy�was taken by Philip Fox on October 17, 1914�in other words, a century ago tomorrow. (Also a Saturday). Based on the position of the telescope, etc., I really think that Lowell was observing Venus as the caption says, in which case it would appear that Lowell, like Tycho, usually observed in sartorial splendor, rather than informally and for comfort as later astronomers have been wont to do.
   I find that Venus crossed the meridian in Flagstaff at an altitude of 28.4 degrees, at 3:54 pm (local time). It was then 30% phase. I would assume, without indulging in much more detailed investigations, that this would have been close to the time the photo was taken.
      Please join me in celebrating (or at least noting) this remarkable moment in time, frozen forever in time in this iconic image.
     Best,

Bill SHEEHAN (Willmar, MN)

��Subject: Mars 15 October　

Received: 16 October 2014 at 05:53 JST

Good evening all

Unfortunately, poor seeing conditions this evening, and only able to capture between intermittent cloud.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141015/CFs15Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 14 October　

Received: 15 October 2014 at 03:27 JST

Good evening all

Fairly good conditions again tonight. Hellas prominent.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141014/CFs14Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Solar Images 1,2,5,10th Oct　

Received: 14 October 2014 at 01:29 JST

Hi Guys here are some images of spots in Ha and white light, sinuous filaments, and one like Batman's batarang. There were a couple of nice prominences, with one shown here taken in double stack as a one shot image, and a single stacked example which is a negative surface composite.

Best wishes

Dave TYLER (Bucks, the UK)

www.david-tyler.com
Ham call G4PIE

��Subject: Re: Mars 12 October　

Received: 13 October 2014 at 04:03 JST

Hi, Marc.

My intent is to continue imaging, as long as I can still achieve "reasonable" (useful?) images, so yes, I hope to capture images during the comet "flyby" period. We are not having very good weather conditions at present,so this my impact on what I can do.

Best regards, clyde

Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you!

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Re:Mars 12 October　

Received: 13 October 2014 at 03:45 JST

Hello, Clyde,

Thanks for sharing - nice images. Please keep taking images of Mars through the encounter and a few days after - as the comet and Mars separate - will try and keep track of the observations - and if you join FB, please join the group CIOC_SidingSpring :)

Padma YANAMANDRA-Fisher (Space Science Institute, CA)

��Subject: Re:Mars 12 October　

Received: 13 October 2014 at 03:18 JST

Hi Clyde,

Thanks for these images.
Do you plan to observe Mars during the Siding Spring comet pass-by in a few days ?

Regards,

Marc DELCROIX (Tournefeuille, FRANCE)

http://astrosurf.com/delcroix

��Subject: Mars 12 October　

Received: 13 October 2014 at 02:51 JST

Good evening all

Better conditions this evening

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141012/CFs12Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: The Way to Noto　

Received: 12 October 2014 at 10:08 JST

Dear Masatsugu,

   After hearing of the eruption of Mt. Ontak�, I located the photo album with images I took of the sacred mountain while traveling with you and Asada. I have some good images. I also looked up the day-book I kept while on that journey, and realized it has been ten years already since we traveled the Lowell route to Noto. I am going to transcribe some passages for the CMO/ISMO, so that will be my next contributed essay. I should be able to send it in a few days, and you can publish it whenever you are in need of material to fill some pages (now that Mars is too far away to be well observed it may be useful!)
  It really was the adventure of a lifetime traveling with you in Japan�and I am very glad I took such detailed notes, as otherwise I would have only remembered but a little. Atrocious how fallible is the human memory!
   Meanwhile, I am still hoping your health improves enough so you can visit Lowell Observatory in 2015 or 2016. It would not be right for a Mars observer as diligent and gifted as your good self not to visit Flagstaff of all places!
   Of course, we will wait on events.

Best wishes, Bill

Bill SHEEHAN (Willmar, MN)

��Subject: Mars 11 October　

Received: 12 October 2014 at 05:18 JST

Hi, All

Attached image from this evening. There was a slight gap in the bad weather we have had over the last few days, and I just managed to capture between clouds, and in windy conditions. Seeing conditions were very poor and it was almost impossible to get any reasonable focus on the G and B channels. No apparent indication of anything out of the ordinary, as far as I can see. Mars is now below 6".

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141011/CFs11Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Uranus images 2014.10.02/03 from Pic du Midi

Received: 12 October 2014 at 00:15 JST

Dears,

Uranus was my main target for the 2 nights mission last week at the one meter telescope. Conditions were correct that first night, but K1 was not visible (that was the opposite the night after :( ). I could get many images in IR 685nm long-pass filter:

An animation attached (gif file) with images from dozens of individual videos does not show any supsect spot moving with the rotation of the planet.

I made one attempt with a 50nm FWHM 889nm methane absorption band (large FWHM because otherwise Uranus would have been too dim even with a 106cm scope). There could be a suspect spot right at meridian and center of the globe (?):

Regards,

Received: 12 October 2014 at 03:42 JST

PS: I forgot to attach a "nice to see" montage of the planet with clockwise Ariel, Umbriel and very faintly Miranda:

Marc DELCROIX (Tournefeuille, FRANCE)

http://astrosurf.com/delcroix

��Subject: From bill sheehan: book　

Received: 10 October 2014 at 23:29 JST

Dear Masatsugu,

Chris Conselice of U of Nottingham and I have published a book, �Galactic Encounters�--not Mars, exactly, though one chapter discusses Percival Lowell and Slipher.

If you or one of our CMO/ISMO colleagues would like to review it, I can see if Springer can send a complimentary review copy. Also I will need the address to which it must be sent.

� Kind regards, Bill

Bill SHEEHAN (Willmar, MN)

��Subject: Jupiter 9 October 2014　

Received: 11 October 2014 at 07:27 JST

Jupiter images on 9 October 2014

Tomio AKUTSU (Tochigi, JAPAN)

��Subject: Mars observation Sept 23

Received: 9 October 2014 at 15:32 JST

Dear Mr. Minami,

I hope you are well. Please find attached a Mars observation I made on the 23rd September, apologies for the delay in getting it to you. Again I am not seeing very much detail, but I still hope the images are useful to you.

All the best,
http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/140923/DWd23Sept14.jpg

David WELDRAKE (Bungendore, NSW, AUSTRALIA)

��Subject: Mars 8 October

Received: 9 October 2014 at 03:10 JST

Hi, All

Attached image from this evening. Apologises for the greenish edge. Didn�t have a lot of time to process this evening.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141008/CFs08Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 6 October-BRIGHT AREAS IN NILIACUS LACUS AND CYDONIA REGIONS RGB Rev2

Received: 8 October 2014 at 06:08 JST

Hi Padma,

It could be interesting yes. Although I think Clyde is going to cover it by himself ;)

Christophe PELLIER (Nantes, FRANCE)

��Subject: Mars 7 October

Received: 8 October 2014 at 02:57 JST

Hi, All

Attached image from this evening. Central storm looks like it has expanded and is dissipating. Not sure about the bright area near Cydonia from yesterday.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141007/CFs07Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 6 October-BRIGHT AREAS IN NILIACUS LACUS AND CYDONIA REGIONS RGB Rev2

Received: 7 October 2014 at 15:53 JST

Hi, All

I did a quick comparison across the two previous evenings.

Not 100% sure, but it looks like there may have been a slight development already on the 5th October as indicated.

Comments welcome.

Best regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 6 October-BRIGHT AREAS IN NILIACUS LACUS AND CYDONIA REGIONS RGB Rev1

Received: 7 October 2014 at 15:51 JST

Dear Clyde

Many thanks and this is without doubt a storm over Chryse Planitia. Similar events occurred at similar seasons in the past and it is only unusual to have caught one from Earth upon such a tiny disk! Those in 1954 and 1990 were particularly well documented in the past, for example, in the pre CCD days, and there have been other events since then. Such events can achieve regional but not encircling status. Do keep up the excellent work!

Many thanks

Richard

Sent from my iPad

Richard McKIM� (Peterborough, The UK)

��Subject: Re: Mars 6 October-BRIGHT AREAS IN NILIACUS LACUS AND CYDONIA REGIONS RGB Rev2

Received: 7 October 2014 at 06:36 JST

Clyde, Christophe and Others,

Should we put out an alert for Mars imagers to follow this feature/storm? Especially, given that C/SidingSpring will be flying by Mars on 19 Oct and it will be interesting to map/characterize the dust/clouds on Mars ? I know that I would like to do that in the FB group.

Thanks,

Padma YANAMANDRA-Fisher (Space Science Institute, CA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 6 October-BRIGHT AREAS IN NILIACUS LACUS AND CYDONIA REGIONS RGB Rev2

Received: 7 October 2014 at 06:34 JST

Hello, Christophe -

Thanks for your feedback - I was coming across references that talk about equatorial storms - and this is dust storm season on Mars...

Padma YANAMANDRA-Fisher (Space Science Institute, CA)

��Subject: Re: Mars 6 October-BRIGHT AREAS IN NILIACUS LACUS AND CYDONIA REGIONS RGB Rev2

Received: 7 October 2014 at 06:30 JST

Hi Clyde,

It looks like a cross-equatorial storm to me, common at this martian season. Please try to get more images :)

Christophe PELLIER (Nantes, FRANCE)

��Subject: RE: Mars 6 October-BRIGHT AREAS IN NILIACUS LACUS AND CYDONIA REGIONS RGB Rev2

Received: 7 October 2014 at 06:05 JST

Hi, all

In amongst all the processing, I didn�t update the date on my final image. Kindly find (hopefully) final version (Rev 2) for the evening with the correct date.

Apologies for all the e-mails- been a busy evening.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141006/CFs06Oct14.jpg

Received: 7 October 2014 at 05:31 JST

Hi, all

Apologies for repeated e-mails, but I had a look at re-processing the RGB with a bit of assistance from my son, who is more skilled in Photoshop than I am, to try and get a better colour balance. Result attached as Rev 1.

Received: 7 October 2014 at 05:05 JST

Apologies- didn�t attach image�..

Received: 7 October 2014 at 04:58 JST

Hi, all

Kindly find attached image for this evening. As noted earlier, there appears to be two fairly bright areas, showing well in the Red channel, but also visible in the IR and G (less so for Cydonia) channels. One in the Niliacus Lacus region and the other towards Cydonia region. I've only seen anything like this in my July dust storm images, but would appreciate any views or other interpretation.

Received: 7 October 2014 at 03:06 JST

Sorry, I should have highlighted this issue in my previous subject heading

Received: 7 October 2014 at 03:02 JST

Good evening all

I have just started processing my images for this evening and noticed that there appears to be a bright area in the Niliacus Lacus region as awell as possibly a second one towards Cydonia on my RED image. I will process the other channels to produce my RGB which I will send through later, but thought this may be of interest.

Best regards

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: RE: Solar Images 30-Sept-2014

Received: 7 October 2014 at 00:30 JST

Hello Dave and other observers,

Nice results, as usual. Made also several attempts on the sun.

These are herewith included.

I also reworked my best result on the sun (August 27th) of the past summer period. Also included a very recent attempt on Uranus.

All done with C14.

Best regards.

Leo AERTS (BELGIUM)

��Subject: Solar Images 30-Sept-2014

Received: 6 October 2014 at 17:07 JST

Hi Guys here are a few images from the last solar busy period that ended September. Awesome sights indeed.

White light are from a 5 inch AP, and Ha from 90mm Coronado.

Best wishes

Dave TYLER (Bucks, the UK)

www.david-tyler.com
Ham call G4PIE

��Subject: Mars 5 October

Received: 6 October 2014 at 03:32 JST

Good evening Gents

My apologies for the poor color balance on my RGB- processing was a bit of a challenge this evening and still got plenty to learn.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141005/CFs05Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars 5th October 2014

Received: 5 October 2014 at 20:16 JST

Attached is an image set of Mars taken this evening in poor seeing conditions.
NW Hellas appears a little bright as does the NE Limb of Mars.

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141005/MVl05Oct14.jpg

Maurice VALIMBERTI (Melbourne, AUSTRALIA)

��Subject: Mars 4 October

Received: 5 October 2014 at 03:22 JST

Good evening Gents

Conditions not too bad this evening, after some poor weather conditions.

I will have a little celebration if I can get a reasonable first image below 6" :-)

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/141004/CFs04Oct14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Uranus Oct.

Received: 4 October 2014 at 05:39 JST

Hi,

Thanks to the help of my dear wife/nurse (since my right arm is still not able to lift or pull) we got the 8" TEC out and I used my new SKYRIS 132C camera to make my best ever image of Uranus. This color was not added or enhanced. This camera is fantastic! It should be on your Christmas list.

Rik HILL (Tucson. AZ)

��Subject: Re: Bright storm seen on Uranus � animation

Received: 3 October 2014 at 10:26 JST

Here's an animation of Uranus in 15-minute intervals spanning the predicted transit time of this storm. The changes in brightness are most likely due to seeing variability at my location and nothing intrinsic.

Link:
http://www.acquerra.com.au/astro/gallery/other/20141002-151849/u20141002-storm-anim.gif

regards, Anthony

Anthony WESLEY (NSW, AUSTRALIA)

��Subject: Re: Bright storm seen on Uranus - more images needed!

Received: 3 October 2014 at 10:18 JST

Thanks indeed for your observations. I have copied Richard Schmude as well in case he may not have seen this. Please continue to copy me as well...very interesting indeed!

Best regards,

Julius L. BENTON (Savannah, GA)

Coordinator - ALPO Venus & Saturn Sections
Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO)

Website: http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/

��Subject: Bright storm seen on Uranus - more images needed!

Received: 3 October 2014 at 09:51 JST

Hi all, apologies if Uranus is not your thing, or if you receive this multiple times - I'm sending this to all my mailing lists :-)

In the last couple of weeks amateurs from France have reported seeing a bright storm on Uranus, and last night was my first opportunity in good seeing to look for it. I was blessed with good seeing and the storm is extremely bright and clearly visible - see attached image.

This is a great opportunity for anyone into high res planetary imaging to grab a rare image of a bright storm on Uranus. Here are approximate transit times for this feature for the next few weeks, and the predicted longitude for the storm - assuming we have a good value for it's drift rate (seems to be pretty close to -17.9 degrees/day). The Oct 2 prediction for last night was very close to correct however there may well be updates to this prediction as we go along.

2014 Oct 01   06:01 ( 264�)   22:40 ( 252�)
2014 Oct 02   15:18 ( 239�)   <------- My observation
2014 Oct 03   07:57 ( 227�)
2014 Oct 04   00:36 ( 214�)   17:15 ( 202�)
2014 Oct 05   09:53 ( 189�)
2014 Oct 06   02:32 ( 177�)   19:11 ( 165�)
2014 Oct 07   11:50 ( 152�)
2014 Oct 08   04:28 ( 140�)   21:07 ( 127�)
2014 Oct 09   13:46 ( 115�)
2014 Oct 10   06:25 ( 103�)   23:03 ( 90�)
2014 Oct 11   15:42 ( 78�)
2014 Oct 12   08:21 ( 65�)
2014 Oct 13   01:00 ( 53�)   17:38 ( 40�)
2014 Oct 14   10:17 ( 28�)
2014 Oct 15   02:56 ( 16�)   19:35 (   3�)
2014 Oct 16   12:13 ( 351�)
2014 Oct 17   04:52 ( 338�)   21:31 ( 326�)
2014 Oct 18   14:10 ( 314�)
2014 Oct 19   06:48 ( 301�)   23:27 ( 289�)
2014 Oct 20   16:06 ( 276�)
2014 Oct 21   08:45 ( 264�)
2014 Oct 22   01:23 ( 251�)   18:02 ( 239�)
2014 Oct 23   10:41 ( 227�)
2014 Oct 24   03:20 ( 214�)   19:58 ( 202�)
2014 Oct 25   12:37 ( 189�)
2014 Oct 26   05:16 ( 177�)   21:55 ( 165�)
2014 Oct 27   14:34 ( 152�)
2014 Oct 28   07:12 ( 140�)   23:51 ( 127�)
2014 Oct 29   16:30 ( 115�)
2014 Oct 30   09:09 ( 103�)

regards, Anthony

Anthony WESLEY (NSW, AUSTRALIA)

��Subject: Mars 29th September 2014

Received: 1 October 2014 at 20:37 JST

Attached are three sets of Mars images taken on the 29th September in average seeing.
Please excuse the blue colour cast of the RGB in the first two sets as these were taken 20min before sunset, and at sunset resepectively.
This made colour balance difficult as the sky was still very bright at this time.

Best wishes
http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/140929/MVl29Sept14.jpg

Maurice VALIMBERTI (Melbourne, AUSTRALIA)

��Subject: Updated Mars Alerts and Recent Observations page

Received: 1 October 2014 at 07:12 JST

Hi folks,

See Alerts and Recent Observations Comments or questions always welcome.

Thanks

Jim MELKA (Chesterfield, MO)

��Subject: Re: Mars 30 September

Received: 1 October 2014 at 03:56 JST

Good evening, Gents

I imaged yesterday evening, but the seeing was very bad, and the resultant image was very poor, so I did not send through.

This evening the seeing was a bit better, although not ideal.

As always any comments on the visible detail would be welcome.

Best regards

http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~cmo/cmons/2013/140930/CFs30Sept14.jpg

Clyde FOSTER (Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA)

��Subject: Mars and other musings

Received: 31 September 2014 at 05:12 JST

Dear Masatsugu,

Thank you so much for your message, and please do not feel any need to respond right away, as I gather you are very busy.

I did indeed notice that Mount Ontak� had erupted�and remember you, Tadashi Asada and I passing by it; it was still snow-capped at that season, and we admired it while we took tea from a tea-room nearby. I knew that it figured significantly in Lowell�s book �Occult Japan,� and also in a poem he wrote for the Scribbler�s Club�do you know of it? I believe it was written at the same time as another poem he wrote about Mars, which has never been published and shows the influence of Flammarionesque themes. I believe he must have written it between the time he discovered Flammarion�s book and when he began observing Mars from Flagstaff, but it doesn�t have a date�. Perhaps I should write something about Lowell�s poems�though I suspect that such a topic would tax even Reiichi Konnai�s very formidable skills in translating into Japanese!

I could also write something about the famous picture of Lowell looking through the 24-in. Clark at Venus by daylight�this picture was taken by Philip Fox on October 17, 1914, that is just a hundred years ago. If I write this it could appear a bit later than the date, and might still be of interest. This is one of the iconic images of astronomy.

I was profoundly saddened to hear of your recent health problems, and the way that your problems with your eyesight have hindered the continuation of your long series of visual observations (going back to 1954?). It must be very unsatisfactory to have to resort to CCD imaging. I wonder if you have given thought to how your observations/log books are to be preserved (archived). Hopefully this will not be necessary to worry about for a long time, but might I suggest that they find a home in the new Collection Center at Lowell Observatory? I can�t think of a better place for them. Perhaps if this meets your approval they can be sent with Reiichi Konnai during 2016�though I am still hoping to have you here in person. You and your wife would be my personal guest in the house in Flagstaff if you were able to come but I realize that a long airflight would perhaps be too difficult.

In closing, dear friend, my deep wishes for better health, and for the favor of many more Mars observations.

With kind regards,

Bill SHEEHAN (Willmar, MN)

P.S. Your comment about �suffering from the strong obsession, and not dealing with other things� while in the throes of your CMO/ISMO work brought a smile to my face; I realize the �strong obsession� only too well in myself.

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