Contains:  Solar system body or event
A regional dust storm on Mars, Niall MacNeill

A regional dust storm on Mars

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging

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Description

I made 8 RGB runs of 4 mins per colour channel, so nearly 100 mins of data capture. After derotating and integrating the images in groups of 3, I produced this 6 frame animation. As you can see, the seeing was best at the beginning and then deteriorated somewhat, but not to detract too much from the final result.

It reveals a great deal about the structure and extent of the regional dust clouds on this side of the planet.

The dust can clearly be seen pooling in the Vallis Marineris and is very thick around the Margaritifer Sinus and Oxia Palus which are completely obscured. However Sinus Meridiani, whilst slightly obscured, can be clearly discerned. The area around the Argyre Planitia to the south also has quite thick dust clouds.

The movement allows us to nicely see the structure of the South Polar Cap, which is of course in retreat in the southern Martion summer.

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