ALERT ISSUED by the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers July 2, 2003
ALPO issued a dust storm alert on Wednesday July 2 to all Mars section recorders. It seems that dust storms originating in the Hellas Basin region are gathering strength, threatening to become a global event. See the full story in the ALPO Mars Section.
Here you'll find the most recently posted observations by the ALPO recorders, including both sketches and pics/CCDimages. The page opens some 100 or more images from the past few months. Notice in the top (most recent) section that many images are from noted Arkansas Mars recorder P. Clay Sherrod of the Arkansas Skies Observatory.
We will keep a close watch on this site as well as all AOAS Mars observers should be sketching and imaging Mars at EVERY opportunity in case these are the last few days that surface details will be visible if these storms truly do become global. Watch for a gradual "smoothing" of coloration and a decrease of details in surface features which would indicate that Mars closest approach in recorded history will likely be a washout for the day of closest approach on August 27.
Story origianlly submitted by AOAS member Bob Moody.
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