Celestia Forums

Just found out something I did not know previously, and used this information to update Mars' definition in my solarsys.ssc file...

It seems that Mars' clouds are higher in the atmosphere than was originally thought. Have a look HERE for more information.

The European Space Agency's orbiting Mars Express spacecraft found clouds that are between 50 and 62 miles (80 to 100 kilometers) above the red planet.

Just FYI...
Thanks, Brain-Dead

Strange,in Celestia Mars clouds definiton,in Celestia 1.5.1,I have CloudHeight 10 and Height (of the atmosphere) 30.If the cloud top is at 100 km,how high is the atmosphere?

danielj wrote:Strange,in Celestia Mars clouds definiton,in Celestia 1.5.1,I have CloudHeight 10 and Height (of the atmosphere) 30.If the cloud top is at 100 km,how high is the atmosphere?

That observation indicates that some of the planetary measurements have been updated I would think. Have a look HERE and HERE.

Just for your information, I have also seen pages which still reference the Mars altitude at lower measurements, but I believe (from my inquiries into the subject) that your information is outdated, and that the information I have referred you to in the links here is more accurate. Maybe, maybe not... At any rate, I have used the ESA's information as the basis for my Mars definitions. Seems to me as if the ESA has a better policy towards dissemination of accurate information.

Keep in mind too, that exploration is an on-going activity. Measurements will change as the technology gets better.
Hope that helps, Brain-Dead.

Well,SOME high altitude clouds are around 80 and 100 km.But when Celestia defines the CloudHeight it is referring to the highest clouds?

danielj wrote:Well,SOME high altitude clouds are around 80 and 100 km.But when Celestia defines the CloudHeight it is referring to the highest clouds?

Good question... Dunno... Selden?

EDIT: The CloudHeight parameter in an SSC file simply describes at what altitude the clouds WILL be placed as far as I know. So, I suppose that this can be set at your own preference. Also, I had forgotten to update the atmospheric height in my original revised SSC code, but I have corrected that now.

Celestia's cloud layer is a simple sphere. It does not have thickness as real clouds do. Celestia is not designed to display multiple layers of clouds, which is one of the other things that it would have to do in order to draw them more realistically.

CloudHeight is the difference in km between the radius of the planet and the radius of the cloud sphere.

I have no idea how Celestia's values for CloudHeight were decided.