Here comes Mars and the Leonids!
Already a familiar sight to night owl observers during past months, the planet Mars is now becoming visible in the evening sky. Rising before midnight, the Red Planet can be found amongst the dim stars of the constellation Cancer. Mars’ ruddy color makes it a close match to the red giant stars Aldebaran and Betelgeuse. By month’s end, its path will carry it into the stars of Leo. Along the way, Mars will brighten and increase in apparent size.
Viewed through a telescope, Mars currently shows an apparent diameter about a quarter the size of Jupiter’s disc, but observers are beginning to make out some detail. As it approaches Earth, its axial tilt shows the bright white of its northern polar cap. In upcoming months, the cap will begin to retreat as frozen carbon dioxide – dry ice – is warmed by rising temperatures and released into the thin Martian atmosphere.
As the polar cap retreats, the remote outpost of the Phoenix Mars Lander will be uncovered. Following its arrival to the arctic plain last year, the Phoenix lander gathered data and performed experiments during an extended 5 month mission. Phoenix had several highlights – confirmation that water ice is present in the permafrost layer, increased understanding of climate and weather patterns, and the discovery of Perchlorate in Martian soil.
An oxidizer, Perchlorate can be used to make rocket fuel and oxygen to support future human exploration. While in some circumstances, Perchlorate suppresses life, we know of microorganisms that use it as an energy source. Having achieved all of its objectives, the Phoenix mission was an unqualified success, but without instrumentation to directly detect life on Mars, the question remains a tantalizing prospect for the future.
A year ago, as sunlight faded with seasonal change, the lander’s solar panels generated less power causing it to enter safe mode in late October. Mission controllers reported loss of contact with the lander on November 10th.
Now as Mars moves towards opposition with Earth in late January, the longer days of summer will return to the northern hemisphere. With increased sunlight, it may be possible for the Phoenix team to detect a faint signal from the lander. While it may be a long shot, the fact that the Mars Exploration Rovers are still working after 5 years keeps the hope alive.
Be sure to get out and catch Mars during its current apparition. The Red Planet will remain a night sky attraction through March 2010.
Also, remember next week brings the peak of the annual Leonid meteor shower. Predictions call for maximum activity during the wee hours of Tuesday November 17th. The Leonids are famous for their speed and persistent trains. These bright little travelers are bits of debris left behind by the shower’s parent body, comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. A new moon near this year’s peak date will yield a dark sky. Assuming clear skies, we may be able to see meteor rates approaching 20-30 per hour.
