ASTRONOMICAL ALERTS Last updated: 8 June 2001

Subject:	AstroAlert: Martian flares sighted
Sent:	Thursday, June 7, 2001 10:22:56
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* Attention all Mars observers: Flares have been sighted in Edom 
Promontorium! *
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In the May 2001 issue of SKY & TELESCOPE (pages 115 to 123), Thomas Dobbins 
and William Sheehan discussed rare historical observations of bright, 
star-like flares from certain regions on the planet Mars. They suggested 
that the flares might be caused by specular reflections of sunlight off 
water-ice crystals in surface frosts or atmospheric clouds, specifically at 
times when the sub-Sun and sub-Earth points were nearly coincident and near 
the planet's central meridian (the imaginary line running down the center 
of the visible disk from pole to pole).

Based on their analysis, Dobbins and Sheehan predicted that flares like 
those last reported in 1958 might erupt this week in Edom Promontorium, 
near the Martian equator at longitude 345 degrees. Dobbins organized an 
expedition to the Florida Keys, where Mars would ride high in the south 
under exceptionally steady skies. Expedition members observed the planet 
using a variety of telescopes nightly beginning June 3rd. No flares were 
seen for several nights. But on June 7th, beginning around 06:40 UT (2:40 
Eastern daylight time), about 80 minutes before Edom crossed the central 
meridian, the team observed a series of brightenings. Each lasted perhaps 3 
to 5 seconds; they occurred sporadically over the next 90 minutes or so, 
until clouds ended the observations. At times Edom appeared to pulse with a 
period of 10 to 15 seconds for a minute or two. The flares were seen 
visually at about 300 power through two homemade 6-inch (15-centimeter) 
Newtonian reflectors (one f/6, the other f/8) by Dobbins, Donald Parker, 
Gary Seronik, Rick Fienberg, and David Moore and were recorded on video at 
1,400 power through a Meade 12-inch (30-cm) Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope by 
Parker and Tippy D'Auria. Visually, the flares seemed to cut the dark 
linear feature Sinus Sabaeus nearly in two.

Mars observers in North America, especially the western half, are 
encouraged to observe the planet visually and to record it on video over 
the next two or three nights, when conditions will continue to favor flares 
in Edom. Observing reports -- including your location, Universal date and 
time, telescope/equipment description, sky conditions, and any other 
relevant details -- should be sent to the Mars sections of the Association 
of Lunar and Planetary Observers (http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/alpo/) and 
British Astronomical Association 
(http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~baa/), as well as the 
International Mars Watch (http://elvis.rowan.edu/marswatch).

Clear skies!

       -- Rick Fienberg and Gary Seronik, SKY & TELESCOPE


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Sent:	Friday, June 8, 2001 13:40:16
Concerning the bright flashes on Mars, I haven't heard if anyone
observed them last night, but here are predictions when they might occur
the next few nights.  The flashes began at 6:40 UT on June 7; since
Mars' rotation period is 24h 37.4m, then on June 9 UT they should begin
at about 7:15 UT, on June 10 at 7:52, on June 11 at 8:30 UT, etc.  It's
not known how long they will be visible; on June 7, they were seen for
90 minutes before clouds moved in and prevented further observation. 
The changing subsolar latitude on Mars will modify the times above and
eventually cause the flashes to no longer be visible.

David Palmer, Los Alamos, NM, provides the following as a possible
ominous explanation . . .

During the opposition of 1894 a great light was seen on the illuminated
part of the disk, first at the Lick Observatory, then by Perrotin of
Nice, and then by other observers. English readers heard of it first in
the issue of Nature dated August 2. I am inclined to think that this
blaze may have been the casting of the huge gun, in the vast pit sunk
into their planet, from which their shots were fired at us. Peculiar
markings, as yet unexplained, were seen near the site of that outbreak
during the next two oppositions.

The storm burst upon us six years ago now. As Mars approached
opposition, Lavelle of Java set the wires of the astronomical exchange
palpitating with the amazing intelligence of a huge outbreak of
incandescent gas upon the planet. It had occurred towards midnight of
the twelfth; and the spectroscope, to which he had at once resorted,
indicated a mass of flaming gas, chiefly hydrogen, moving with an
enormous velocity towards this earth. This jet of fire had become
invisible about a quarter past twelve. He compared it to a colossal puff
of flame suddenly and violently squirted out of the planet, "as flaming
gases rushed out of a gun."

H.G. Wells, _War_of_the_Worlds_, 1897
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