New Meteor ?, Astronomy Options

[vikingmars]

Here is a picture just downloaded from Pancam sol 643 at 22:03 LLT
Does anyone knows is Mars is going now throu gh a swarm of meteors ?

[Guest_Edward Schmitz_*]

Why is it assumed that this is the southern sky? Spirit can see very far into the northern sky, as well. 56 deg N would still be at about 42 deg elevation. In fact, I think that the camera platform cannot look up very far. I'll look it up, if nobody knows that off the top of their head.

I just want to point out that it could be the northern sky...

ed

[jamescanvin]

In fact, I think that the camera platform cannot look up very far.  I'll look it up, if nobody knows that off the top of their head. 

No, the pancam can look vertically up, (more than) vertically down and anywhere inbetween.

[Guest_Edward Schmitz_*]

No, the pancam can look vertically up, (more than) vertically down and anywhere inbetween. 

You're right. It can look straight up. Spec for elevation is +/- 90 deg in elevation. Per Dec 2003 JGR.

That still doesn't mean that those are southern stars.

ed

[jamescanvin]

You're right.  It can look straight up.  Spec for elevation is +/- 90 deg in elevation.  Per Dec 2003 JGR.

Actually it's -104 to +90 in elevation (and for completeness 0 to 370 in azimuth)

That still doesn't mean that those are southern stars.

No of course not, I deliberately didn't quote that bit of your post as I wasn't making any reference to that.

However the image fredk posted is made of several pancam frames stacked together, so the direction of rotation can be deduced. I just had a quick look and the stars are moving clockwise (down the image, with the centre of rotation to the left) which makes that the south pole they are rotating around and hence this is the southen sky.

James