File Format: bluemars.jpg - Full colour 1440x720 JPG file, 381K.
Map Type: Simple Cylindrical Projection.
Map Origin: Constructed by Constantine Thomas, derived from 'flooded' Mars heightfield created using DEM data from Viking Orbiter Topography CD-ROM (JPL/NASA).
Map coverage: Full 360° wrap (centred around 0°), full pole-to-pole coverage (Blue Mars does have polar caps).
Image coverage: Vertical edge: 180°W. Horizontal edge: 90° N/S.

Radius (1 km = 1 POV unit): 3,398 km
Average distance from primary (1 km = 1 POV unit): 228,600,000 km

NOTES: This map was constructed in exactly the same way as the Cytherea map, except that polar caps were pasted on from my Earth Map before the cloudmap was rendered over it (I figured that Cytherea would be too hot for icecaps, whereas they were more likely on a Blue Mars). Furthermore, the ocean level was set at 2.3 km as opposed to Cytherea's 3km. Unlike the Cytherea map, the land colours are real - I used my Mars map as an image_map for the heightfield and it fitted perfectly. Someday I may attempt to create a 'Green Mars' with vegetation colouring too, but this will do for now! The topography map that I used to make this is also posted here now (see left) - white is high, black is low. Note that you can use this as a normal_map for the landmap to bring out the mountains and valleys on the terminator!

File Format: bmars-png.zip - Four 256 colour land/ocean/cloud/cloudbump 1440x720 (Clouds are 2048x1024) PNG files in a single 1.90 MB zip file.
Map Type: Simple Cylindrical Projection.
Map Origin: Constructed by Constantine Thomas, derived from 'flooded' Mars heightfield created using DEM data from Viking Orbiter Topography CD-ROM (JPL/NASA).
Map coverage: Full 360° wrap (centred around 0°), full pole-to-pole coverage.
Image coverage: Vertical edge: 180°W. Horizontal edge: 90° N/S.

Radius (1 km = 1 POV unit): ocean map: 3,398 km ; terrain map: 3,398.1 km; cloud map/bump: 3,400 km.
Average distance from primary (1 km = 1 POV unit): 105,000,000 km

NOTES: The four maps on the left (land, sea, clouds, cloudbump) are designed to be combined in POVray to create Blue Mars with ultra-realistic oceans and clouds. They are available here in a single 1.90 MB zip file called bmars-png.zip. The PNG files are smaller than gifs (and therefore easier to download!), and are fully supported in POVray so you should have no trouble using the maps. A sample scene file (bluemars.pov) is provided with a full explanation to show you how to use the maps. All four maps are the same resolution as the basic Blue Mars map described above, but have 256 colours instead of 16 million.

The idea is to layer the maps to get the right effect. The sea map goes at the bottom of the pile, and is given a specular finish. The land map goes above this - the blue areas on it that correspond to the oceans are set to complete transparency by a transmit statement. You will thus be able to see the specular ocean map beneath, but the land areas will 'cover over' any specular highlight on the sea map. Thus, only the oceans of Blue Mars reflect the sunlight specularly, and the continents do not (which is what we want). The blue cloud map then goes on top with a complex transmit statement (see scene file) that allows you to see through the clear parts and gives the rest of it a varying opacity. Finally, a greyscale cloudbump map is used as a normal_map to simulate high clouds on the day/night terminator. Note that the cloudmaps are the same ones used for Earth. A sample scene file (bluemars.pov) is included in bmars-png.zip to demonstrate and explain how to combine the maps.