Abstract An observing campaign, primarily involving amateur astronomers, was conducted during 1988 in an attempt to solve the centuries-old riddle of the Venus ashen light. The results of this campaign, which produced 700 nighttime observations and 190 positive sightings, are presented here. Although the campaign was successful in obtaining the desired synoptic observations, these observations cannot conclusively establish the existence of the emissions. A previously noted trend for the ashen light to occur predominantly in the dusk hemisphere of Venus, interpreted in support of a lightning mechanism, may in fact be an artifact of sampling. Positive ashen light sightings do not appear to be correlated with solar or solar wind events measured by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter, thus weakening the argument that the emissions are auroral in nature.
The Venus ashen light: Results of the 1988 observing campaign
Advances in Space Research ; 12 , 9 ; 51-56
1992-01-01
6 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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