1. Venus Express European Space Agency (ESA) mission European Space Agency (ESA) mission Launched November 9, 2005 Launched November 9, 2005 Link on Web Link on Web Link Arrives April, 2006 Arrives April, 2006 Assignment… Assignment…

2. … due in a week: Explore the Venus Express web site found linked under the Course Links section of WebCT Explore the Venus Express web site found linked under the Course Links section of WebCT Write a 1 to 2-page, typed discussion of the objectives of this mission, including… Write a 1 to 2-page, typed discussion of the objectives of this mission, including… … how it relates to the Magellan mission, especially with respect to trying to answer questions left unanswered by Magellan. … how it relates to the Magellan mission, especially with respect to trying to answer questions left unanswered by Magellan.

3. Mars Global Surveyor Imaging Mars from an orbit around it Imaging Mars from an orbit around it Recent image of delta-like fans Recent image of delta-like fans

4. Other probes… Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and Opportunity landed in January, 2004 Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and Opportunity landed in January, 2004 Still exploring! Still exploring! Found a lot of evidence for water as well as interesting geology Found a lot of evidence for water as well as interesting geology (no life seen!) (no life seen!) Mars Odyssey continues to map Mars in infrared

5. Asaph Hall Discovered two moons in 1877 favorable opposition using the 26-inch refractor at the USNO, in Washington, DC

6. 150 years before the were “predicted” in Gulliver’s Travels “They have likewise discovered two lesser Stars, or Satellites, which revolve about Mars; whereof the innermost is distant from the Center of the primary Planet exactly three of his Diameters, and the outermost five; the former revolves in the space of ten Hours, and the latter in Twenty-one and an Half; so that the Squares of their periodical Times, are very near in the same Proportion with the Cubes of their Distance from the Center of Mars; which evidently shows them to be governed by the same Law of Gravitation, that influences the other heavenly Bodies. “

7. Phobos Phobos is nearer and larger, P = 7:39! – rise to set in 5h! Not spherical – why not?

8. Deimos Almost Marsynchronous -- appears to take 3 days horizon to horizon.