Images of Mars
As Mars approaches Earth and increases in size, you might reasonably expect
surface detail to become ever sharper. However, this may not be the case.
The weather we are looking through on Earth and the weather on Mars can
effect what we see. Unlike Earth, whose weather is virtually unaffected
by its distance to the sun, Mars, with its much more elliptical orbit,
receives a tiny extra boost in heat when it is closest to the sun—which
it now is. This may trigger Martian dust storms. Such storms form suddenly
and can rage for days or weeks rendering Mars a very bland, smooth, featureless
peach.

Mars, July 09, 2003. Emory Observatory (photo: H. Dale) |

Mars, July 17, 2003. Emory Observatory (photo: H. Dale) |

Mars, July 25, 2003. Emory Observatory
(photo: H. Dale & C. Donofrio) |

Mars, Aug. 15, 2003. Emory Observatory (photo: H. Dale, C. Donofrio) |

Mars, Aug. 26, 2003. Emory Observatory (photo: H. Dale, C. Donofrio, R. Parks) |
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