<blockquote>
  <p>Is it possible for an experienced naked-eye (or small telescope)
  astronomer to have noticed the change in appearance brought on by this
  dust storm?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes, it is definitely possible. Without dust storms it looks redder. </p>

<p><strong>Source:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk01/JBAA119123-143McKim.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The opposition of Mars, 2001: Part I - Richard McKim</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-10T20:26:48.127Z
2018-12-03T14:57:24.177Z
2018-12-03T14:57:24.177Z
Alphecca
<p>Mars has been undergoing a planet-wide dust storm for a couple of months now.
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/gsS6H.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/gsS6H.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>By my eye, while Mars currently looks a bright and handsome orange, there's been no change that I've been able to notice from this dust storm. Is it possible for an experienced naked-eye (or small telescope) astronomer to have noticed the change in appearance brought on by this dust storm?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-10T19:09:34.470Z
I've been observing Mars a couple of times this summer with my 6" telescope and I've seen a visual difference, now I can see a few surface features and the ice cap, but in June/July they were pretty much hidden beneath the storm, and the planet appeared uniform in color. With the naked eye only though, I haven't noticed any difference.
FSimardGIS
<mars><dust-storm>
Has the Mars dust storm affected its naked-eye appearance?
Ingolifs
# Has the Mars dust storm affected its naked-eye appearance?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-10)

Mars has been undergoing a planet-wide dust storm for a couple of months now.
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/gsS6H.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/gsS6H.jpg)

By my eye, while Mars currently looks a bright and handsome orange, there's been no change that I've been able to notice from this dust storm. Is it possible for an experienced naked-eye (or small telescope) astronomer to have noticed the change in appearance brought on by this dust storm?

**Tags:** mars, dust-storm

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I've been observing Mars a couple of times this summer with my 6" telescope and I've seen a visual difference, now I can see a few surface features and the ice cap, but in June/July they were pretty much hidden beneath the storm, and the planet appeared uniform in color. With the naked eye only though, I haven't noticed any difference.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-09-10. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

> Is it possible for an experienced naked-eye (or small telescope)
> astronomer to have noticed the change in appearance brought on by this
> dust storm?

Yes, it is definitely possible. Without dust storms it looks redder.

**Source:**

* [The opposition of Mars, 2001: Part I - Richard McKim](http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk01/JBAA119123-143McKim.pdf)


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