Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Top Page Your imaginary observatory location, 360 degrees unobstructed view, True dark sky. Stargazing on MARS Stargazing on MARS

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Environment on Mars Thin atmosphere, no industrial smog, no light pollution, Excellent seeing and transparency (in absence of sand storms, etc.). Average temperature on Mars is -63ºC/-81.4ºF Atmosphere is composed of 95.32% carbon dioxid and 7.2% nitrogen Average atmospheric pressure is bars (about 1/100th of Earth) Gravity is of Earth's. A year on Mars is 1.881x of Earth, a day is about 40 minutes longer.

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Different Constellations? It’s only a small step to Mars, but no giant leap into space. Therefore, the constellations appear like as seen from Earth. Mars Rover Spirit’s image of Orion as viewed from 15 deg southern latitude on Mars. Parallax angles to Proxima Centauri: on 1 AU base (Earth orbit): 0.773” on 1.524AU base (Mars orbit): 1.178” Reason being:

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Mars’s Polar Axis The orientation of Mars’s axis is different from Earth, Mars has no obvious Pole Stars, Inclination to ecliptic is 1.85 º – same zodiac constellations, but different equinoxes and solstices, Mars, too, is subjected to precession and axial tilt variation. North RA: 21h10m43s, Dec: 52º53’09 South RA: 09h10m43s, Dec: -52º53’09

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Observing the Martian Moons Moon Orbits to-scale

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Observing the Martian Moons Influence of latitude Influence of altitude Apparent Angular Sizes

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Dimensions Surface distance Center distance Apparent size* Visual magnitude Orbit period Axial rotation of Mars: days Observing the Martian Moons Fact Sheet 27 x 22 x 18 km 5,980 km 9,378 km 12.58’ -9mv max days rises in the west 15 x 12 x 11 km 20,060 km 23,459 km 2.43’ -5.5mv max days Phobos (‘fear’)Deimos (‘panic’) *In the meridian on 45º latitude, measured on longest axis. Angular size variations: Phobos: 45%, Deimos: 1.8’ to 2.6’ Image: Phobos-2, Feb 28, 1989Image: Viking 2, h=30km, 1.2km wide Image: Viking 2 OrbiterImage: Viking Orbiter

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Observing Mars from its Moons From Phobos Simulated view on Valles Marineris FOV: 120º Mars’ angular size: 42.5º (85x the full Earth moon) From Deimos Simulated view on the Hellas region FOV: 120º Mars’ angular size: 16.7º (33x the full Earth moon)

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Influence of relative orbit position From Moon to Moon An exciting performance of fast changes, Observing Phobos from Deimos is most dynamic Phobos - Deimos minimum distance is 14,081km, Phobos - Deimos maximum distance is 32,837km. Min DistanceMax Distance Phobos6.59’2.83’ Deimos Apparent Sizes Phobos: 8.2º E/W elongation Deimos: 20º E/W elongation Visibility Condition

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Solar Eclipses on Mars Phobos eclipse shadow Mars Global Surveyor. August 26, 1999 over Western Xanthe Terra. 250km (155mi across) Phobos Eclipse Mars Rover Opportunity On March 10, 2004 Sun size is 2/3rd Phobos’s is half of Earth Moon Deimos Eclipse Mars Rover Opportunity On sol 39 of its mission Sun size is 2/3rd Deimos size is half of Phobos Eclipses occur several times a day No total eclipses on Mars Less spectacular than on Earth

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Observing Earth from Mars Earth is an inner planet, Shows phases like Venus/Mercury, Mean greatest elongation is 41º, Earth transits observable but rare. (last: May 11, 1984; next: Nov 10, 2084) Mars Global Surveyor. May 8, :00 UTC Earth of the Past Earth-Mars light time varies between 3 and 22 minutes. In 22 minutes Earth rotates 5.5º towards East (1º in 4 minutes). Venus transit in Courtesy K. Spencer.

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Imaging on Mars Mars Rover SpiritSpirit’s two panoramic CCD cameras. Our Mars Observatory Location: Gusev Crater, 15º south of equator Mounting: altazimuth, no tracking Pixel area: 1,024 x 1,024 pixels Field of view: 16.8º Resolution: 59” per pixel Equivalent: 35mm SLR with 125mm lens Cost: 400 million US$, excluding shipment Spirit’s field of view

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Imaging on Mars Orion

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Imaging on Mars Phobos and Deimos

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Imaging on Mars Phobos and Deimos

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Imaging on Mars Phobos Lunar Eclipse

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Imaging on Mars South Celestial Pole Region

Stargazing on Mars Stargazing on Mars Cover Page Environment Constellations Polar Axis Observing Moons Observing Mars Moon to Moon Solar Eclipses Earth from Mars Imaging on Mars Back to Earth Back to Earth – Thank You!