Contains:  Solar system body or event
Animation of the Mars Apparition 2020, Niall MacNeill

Animation of the Mars Apparition 2020

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging
Animation of the Mars Apparition 2020, Niall MacNeill

Animation of the Mars Apparition 2020

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging

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Description

I animated this sequence of images from May 11th to December 8th, i.e. approximately 7 months. It starts with the planet having a 8.1” diameter through opposition in the first week of October at ~ 22.5” to December 8th, when the diameter had shrunk back down to 13.4”. The images are to scale by apparent diameter. It shows just how big the SPC was early in the apparition. Also note that the SPC can be seen to swing from left to right and this is due to its asymmetry with respect to the true south pole.

Note also the change in phase through the apparition, with the terminator swinging from one side of the planet to the other.

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