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It`s springtime in Mars!
Kolkata, Aug 24: In the fortnight that brings the enigmatic Red planet closest to Earth in over 60,000 years, here is what astrophysicists glued to their telescopes have found -- It`s springtime in Mars!
Kolkata, Aug 24: In the fortnight that brings the enigmatic Red planet closest to Earth in over 60,000 years, here is what astrophysicists glued to their telescopes have found -- It's springtime in Mars!
As professional and amateur skygazers around the world
gear up for the closest rendezvous of the two neighbours in
the solar system on August 27, preliminary observations
pouring in from hundreds of dedicated laboratories show
brilliant pictures of the Mars surface.
Dust clouds, volcanic terrains, impact basins and best of all, the south polar cap made of frozen carbon dioxide or 'dry ice' that reflect more sunlight that any other part of the planet, are coming alive in backyard telescopes, much to the delight of avid cosmologists.
"The southern hemisphere of Mars is tipped toward Earth and the bright cap is remarkably easy to see. But don't wait too long to look, because the ice will soon melt," says Dr Ton Phillips of US space agency Nasa's science directorate in a communique.
Though it is still over 55 million km away from the Earth, the brilliant beacon shining with a steady ochre glow in the southeastern sky, is thrilling enough for even those taking a twilight stroll.
"It appears almost five times larger and over 50 times brighter than it did in January," says Dr Debi Prasad Duari, senior scientist at the M P Birla Planetarium here, who is absorbing the best of Mars even without the telescope. Bureau Report
Dust clouds, volcanic terrains, impact basins and best of all, the south polar cap made of frozen carbon dioxide or 'dry ice' that reflect more sunlight that any other part of the planet, are coming alive in backyard telescopes, much to the delight of avid cosmologists.
"The southern hemisphere of Mars is tipped toward Earth and the bright cap is remarkably easy to see. But don't wait too long to look, because the ice will soon melt," says Dr Ton Phillips of US space agency Nasa's science directorate in a communique.
Though it is still over 55 million km away from the Earth, the brilliant beacon shining with a steady ochre glow in the southeastern sky, is thrilling enough for even those taking a twilight stroll.
"It appears almost five times larger and over 50 times brighter than it did in January," says Dr Debi Prasad Duari, senior scientist at the M P Birla Planetarium here, who is absorbing the best of Mars even without the telescope. Bureau Report