[1] The Panoramic Camera (Pancam) investigation is part of the Athena science payload launched to Mars in 2003 on NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rover (MER) missions. The scientific goals of the Pancam investigation are to assess the high-resolution morphology, topography, and geologic context of each MER landing site, to obtain color images to constrain the mineralogic, photometric, and physical properties of surface materials, and to determine dust and aerosol opacity and physical properties from direct imaging of the Sun and sky. Pancam also provides mission support measurements for the rovers, including Sun-finding for rover navigation, hazard identification and digital terrain modeling to help guide long-term rover traverse decisions, high-resolution imaging to help guide the selection of in situ sampling targets, and acquisition of education and public outreach products. The Pancam optical, mechanical, and electronics design were optimized to achieve these science and mission support goals. Pancam is a multispectral, stereoscopic, panoramic imaging system consisting of two digital cameras mounted on a mast 1.5 m above the Martian surface. The mast allows Pancam to image the full 360°in azimuth and ±90°in elevation. Each Pancam camera utilizes a 1024 Â 1024 active imaging area frame transfer CCD detector array. The Pancam optics have an effective focal length of 43 mm and a focal ratio of f/20, yielding an instantaneous field of view of 0.27 mrad/pixel and a field of view of 16°Â 16°. Each rover's two Pancam ''eyes'' are separated by 30 cm and have a 1°toe-in to provide adequate stereo parallax. Each eye also includes a small eight position filter wheel to allow surface mineralogic studies, multispectral sky imaging, and direct Sun imaging in the 400-1100 nm wavelength region. Pancam was designed and calibrated to operate within specifications on Mars at temperatures from À55°to +5°C. An onboard calibration target and fiducial marks provide the capability to validate the radiometric and geometric calibration on Mars.

Abstract.A major astrophysical problem is related to the fact that rotation curves (RCs)) of galaxies are flat. The presence of a dark halo is most often invoked to explain that. Some controversies exist concerning the existence of a dark halo for galaxies in very hostile environments like in center of clusters. Using a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, we have observed Ha velocity fields of a sample of 38 galaxies located in 7 different clusters of galaxies. From this sample, our conclusion is that spirals located in the central part of clusters do not have decreasing RCs within the optical radius.

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In addition to searches for purposeful signals, those attempting interstellar communication should also consider the possibility of eavesdropping on radio emissions inadvertently "leaking" from other technical civilizations. To understand better the information which might be derivable from radio leakage, the case of planet earth is considered. The most detectable and useful escaping signal arise in a few BMEWS-type radar systems and in normal television broadcasting. A model including over 2000 television transmitters is used to demonstrate the wealth of astronomical and cultural information available from a distant observer's careful monitoring of frequency and intensity variations in individual video carriers (program materials is not taken to be detectable).