To capture the seasons of Mars, which approaches Earth every two years and two months and becomes observable, approximately 20 years of observation are required. Over 3,000 sketches of Mars made by Dr. Shotaro Miyamoto, the third director of the Hanayama Observatory, from 1956 to 1976 are currently preserved at Kyoto University.
The discovery that sparked the field of Martian meteorology—the appearance of clouds over the Noachis Terra region—can be seen in a sketch dated August 20, 1956, alongside Dr. Miyamoto's evident excitement.
