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Re: Martian Sky Colour

Mark asks:

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Sylvester [mailto:msylvest@XNET.IT]
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 4:51 AM

What do we expect the Martian sky to look
like as a consequence of the atmospheric composition of Mars?

I've seen pictures from Spirit showing a red sky, and websites suggesting
that the colour balance has been (deliberately!?) distorted. Other versions
of the same pictures show a blue or a white sky.

My understanding is that the red sky toward the horizon on Mars is due to fine dust in the atmosphere. I would expect the overhead sky to approach black since the path length through the dust is less than near the horizon.

********************************************
"Border relations between Canada
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********************************************
George Spagna
Department of Physics
Randolph-Macon College
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e-mail: gspagna@rmc.edu
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