Martian Dust Storm
(OCT 23) Just days before its closest approach to Earth, a major dust storm has developed on Mars. The storm erupted about six days ago in the Chryse area and is reportedly growing very quickly.
Veteran planetary imager Don Parker told Space Archive that as of Friday, the storm was centered on central meridian (CM) 45° degrees and covered an area of 2500 by 2500 miles. He said that the conditions on Mars are right for a major dust storm and we should know in a couple of days if the storm will become global.
For a detailed view of the event, you will need a good telescope. According to Parker, a scope as small as 6 inches should suffice - perhaps smaller if you are an experienced observer. He recommends using a magnification of at least 250X and a light red or orange filter.
Assuming the phenomenon does not become global and remains centered on CM 45°, the middle of the storm will cross the Martian disk at the following times:
Date PDT UTC
OCT 24 01:55 08:55
OCT 25 02:35 09:35
OCT 26 03:10 10:10
OCT 27 03:45 10:45
OCT 28 04:20 11:20
OCT 29 04:57 11:57
If you do not have access to a telescope, you may be able to monitor the storm using the unaided eye or a camera.
In 2001 the Earth and Mars had a similar close approach. Over the course of several days, a dust storm appeared and shrouded the entire planet. Using only the naked eye, the webmaster saw Mars' color change from rusty orange to beige.
You may also be able to record Martian color changes due to the dust storm with your digital or film camera. Use an ISO setting of 100 to 200 or a similar speed film. Mount the camera on a tripod, aim it at the Red Planet, open the lens' aperture to f/2.8 to f/4, and make a series of 30, 60, and 90-second exposures.
Take an identical set of photos several days apart. The resulting images will contain Mars trails caused by the Earth's rotation and may reveal Martian color changes.
Of course, if you are a beginning observer, you will you need to know where to look. The planet resembles a bright orange-yellow 'star' and rises in the east at approximately 19:10 PDT. It is visible all night as it crosses the sky and is favorably placed for observation in the west at dawn.
