Astronomy Picture of the Day 2-18-03

NASA ^ | 2-18-03 | Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell

[petuniasevan]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2003 February 18

Candor and Ophir Chasmata
Credit: Viking Project, NASA

Explanation: First imaged by the Mariner 9 spacecraft, Valles Marineris, the grand canyon of Mars, is a system of enormous depressions called chasmata that stretch some 4,000 kilometers along the Martian equator. Looking north over the canyon's central regions, Candor chasma lies in the foreground of this spectacular view with the steep walls of Ophir chasma near the top. Surface collapse and landslides are seen to be part of the complex geologic history of these dramatic features but recent high resolution images have also revealed layered deposits within the canyon system. This picture represents a mosaic of images recorded in 1978 from Martian orbit by the Viking 1 and 2 spacecraft. The full width of the picture covers about 800 kilometers.

[petuniasevan]

The image above spans 550 miles.

That's truly an enormous canyon system; it dwarfs anything found on Earth.

For comparison, the Grand Canyon is 217 miles long, 10 miles wide, and a mile deep.

Valles Marineris spans a full 2480 miles, is 140 miles wide, and is 4 miles deep.

For comparison, an outline of the USA has been superimposed on Valles Marineris:

Here is the close-up of the red outlined area:

[petuniasevan]

[MeekOneGOP]

[new cruelty]

Thanks as always for the all informing post.

[WSGilcrest]

BIG bump

[firewalk]

Good morning, thanks for the ping

[Mr. K]

Is it just me, or does it seem like the entire maritan surface has a generous dusting of the what looks like the exact same material?

No to many craters, so the 'surface' is young, but why the relatively uniform coating over the entire planet?

I am guessing that a huge impact left a dust cloud that covered the entire planet, and if we dig down about 3 feet we would find the remnants of an ancient civilization.

The 'face' on Cydonia is also covered by this layer of whatever, so it would better resemble a face if we cleaned it off.

Doesn't this seem obvious? (not my imaginary civilization) the coating over the whole planet? When the mars lander roamed around it was pretty amazing to me to see boulders strewn around all over, like it happened all at once.

I dunno...

[foolish-one]

Neat, again! Thanks.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Incredible images......

[sistergoldenhair]

Incredible.

[petuniasevan]

Two words: dust storms.

That dust gets on everything.

As for an ancient civilization, the answer is "not at all likely".

The "face" at Cydonia is a trick of the light. It looks NOTHING like a face unless the angle of the sun is just right.

Here are some links for you to peruse:

The Geology of Mars: Dust Storms -
http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/CAS/lessons/L9/18.HTM

Mars: Dust, Ice, and Wind
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/mineralogy/mars/Marshtml/2dustetc.html

(Among other things) Sand dunes on Mars
http://www.geology.uiuc.edu/~hsui/classes/geo116/lectures/mars2.html

Cydonia images from Mars Global Surveyor's "Mars Orbiter Camera"
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/msss/camera/images/4_6_98_face_release/index.html

Mars loses face
http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/05/25/mars.faces/

This next link is FULL of information and links to all subjects Martian:

Life on Mars
http://www.resa.net/nasa/mars_life.htm

Last but not least, check out this website for help in understanding astronomy - it's a MUST-SEE for those who want to learn what's good astronomy and what's...
Bad Astronomy!
http://www.badastronomy.com/

[Mr. K]

Thanks for the links- you comment does not explain the boulders strewn (rather uniformly) over the surface- that would be a heck of a dust storm. I had considered that, but the boulders are all relatvely uncovered by dust.

I may be biased (very un-scientific of me, I know) but I wish we would find life or an old civilization up there.

I believe in UFO's too.. :)

[petuniasevan]

This is satellite SOHO's LASCO camera view of the Sun - it updates regularly. Note the obscuring device over the sun. The white ring shows the size of the sun's disk.

As of right now, the comet C/2002 V1 (NEAT) is in the field - what a sight!

The horizontal bar across the comet's head is pixel overflow - the image is too bright for the CCD camera.

[petuniasevan]

No dust on the boulders; it blows off.

Yes, the various boulders are a mystery. Some areas contain lots of them; others don't.

Perhaps water carried them around eons ago. Or even glaciers.

Here's an anomaly for you to chew on: a bed of dark boulders

Image is from the Planetary Society

Trust me on this: Scientists would LOVE to find evidence, even fossils, of Martian life. It would rank among the greatest discoveries of all time. Problem is, it's not easy to accomplish the research by remote probes. And the Martian environment is harsh to say the least.

We may not have any definite answers until we send a manned mission to Mars.

[RightWhale]

if we dig down about 3 feet we would find the remnants of an ancient civilization.

I would guess the overburden is the result of aeons of dust storms. If we dig down to the original surface, we will find what? Civilization? McCain and Hoagland are in cahoots about this now. Well, we ought to build a settlement on Mars now that water seems readily available, but this Tooth Fairy Civilization stuff is for the gullible masses.

[Mr. K]

I know, i just like it.

[Mr. K]

I see you point about the dust blowing off the boulders, but it just doesn't 'look' that way to me. It honestly seem like the whole place is covered with the aftermath of some huge explosioin with stuff raining down all over. And relatvely recently too. (in geological age)

[Mr. K]

Did you see the alleged infra-red images of the cydonia region? showing patterns resembling city block-like patterns just beneath the surface?

Just for the record, I am not a tin-foil hat looney- I just get a giant-sized kick out of this stuff

[Mr. K]

also, how did the boulders get placed there so uniformly in the first place (nevermind no dust on them). I mean look at the mars lander that roamed around- they are everywhere as if someone tossed a pile of gravel into the air and it landed all over.

[RightWhale]

We have similar formations right outside my back yard. They are permafrost features.