Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2020 November 20

                       Global Map: Mars at Opposition
    Image Credit & Copyright: F. Colas / J.L. Dauvergne / G. Dovillaire /
                                T. Legault /
   G. Blanchard / B. Gaillard / D. Baratoux / A, Klotz / S2P / IMCCE / OMP
                               / Imagine Optic

   Explanation: This may be the best global Mars map made with a telescope
   based on planet Earth. The image data were captured by a team of
   observers over six long nights at the Pic du Midi mountaintop
   observatory between October 8 and November 1, when the fourth rock from
   the Sun had not wandered far from its 2020 opposition and its biggest
   and brightest appearance in Earth's night sky. The large telescope
   used, 1 meter in diameter with a 17 meter focal length, was also used
   in support of NASA's Apollo lunar landing missions. After about 30
   hours of processing, the data were combined to produced this remarkably
   sharp projected view of the martian surface extending to about 45
   degrees northern latitude. The image data have also been mapped onto a
   rotating sphere and rotating stereo, views. Fans of Mars can easily
   pick out their favorite markings on the Red Planet by eyeing a labeled
   version of this global map of Mars.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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