TUCSON, July 11 (UPI) -- Astronomers at Arizona State University's Mars Space Flight Center are using NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter to monitor a large Martian dust storm.
The astronomers are using Odyssey's multi-wavelength camera that is sensitive to five visible wavelengths and 10 infrared ones. It allows Mars scientists and spacecraft controllers to track the dust storm, which started during the last week of June and is now affecting operations for all five spacecraft operating on or orbiting Mars.
The Mars fleet includes two NASA rovers on the ground and three orbiters, two of which belong to NASA and one to the European Space Agency.
Beginning in Mars' heavily cratered southern highlands, the dust storm took roughly a week to grow large enough to encircle the entire planet. Dust has now drifted into the northern hemisphere as well.
Astronomers don't know how long the storm will last, but Joshua Bandfield, a researcher at the Mars Space Flight Facility, said its effects won't disappear as quickly as the storm erupted. "Mars will remain dusty for at least a couple months more," he said.
Mars dust map images are available at themis.asu.edu/dustmaps.
