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A Hole in Mars
NASA ^
| 2012 July 18
Posted on 07/22/2012 1:04:19 PM PDT by BenLurkin
What created this unusual hole in Mars? The hole was discovered by chance on images of the dusty slopes of Mars' Pavonis Mons volcano taken by the HiRISE instrument aboard the robotic Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter currently circling Mars. The hole appears to be an opening to an underground cavern, partly illuminated on the image right. Analysis of this and follow-up images revealed the opening to be about 35 meters across, while the interior shadow angle indicates that the underlying cavern is roughly 20 meters deep. Why there is a circular crater surrounding this hole remains a topic of speculation, as is the full extent of the underlying cavern. Holes such as this are of particular interest because their interior caves are relatively protected from the harsh surface of Mars, making them relatively good candidates to contain Martian life. These pits are therefore prime targets for possible future spacecraft, robots, and even human interplanetary explorers.
TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: mars; pavonismons
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Photo at the link
1
posted on
07/22/2012 1:04:22 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
To: BenLurkin
Looks like a Florida sink hole to me! Too many martians tapping shallow wells to water their lawns.
2
posted on
07/22/2012 1:12:35 PM PDT
by
mazda77
("Defeating the Totalitarian Lie" By: Hilmar von Campe. Everybody should read it.)
To: BenLurkin
An amazing photo! Thanks for posting.
3
posted on
07/22/2012 1:15:44 PM PDT
by
EggsAckley
( There's an Ethiopian in the fuel supply ! ! ..)
To: BenLurkin
4
posted on
07/22/2012 1:22:28 PM PDT
by
dragnet2
(Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
To: BenLurkin
5
posted on
07/22/2012 1:23:15 PM PDT
by
Dogbert41
("...The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God" Zech. 12:5)
To: BenLurkin; a fool in paradise; Slings and Arrows; JoeProBono
I see even 4 holes!
6
posted on
07/22/2012 1:25:40 PM PDT
by
Revolting cat!
(Bad things are wrong!)
To: BenLurkin
Another disaster wrought by fracking!
7
posted on
07/22/2012 1:30:34 PM PDT
by
Hunton Peck
(This too, shall pass, unless we're in Harry Reid's Senate and "this" is a budget.)
To: BenLurkin
The culprit?
8
posted on
07/22/2012 1:32:17 PM PDT
by
Pollster1
(Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. - Ronald Reagan)
To: BenLurkin
A-hole in Mars? Is this in addition to the one in the White House?
9
posted on
07/22/2012 1:33:07 PM PDT
by
Hunton Peck
(This too, shall pass, unless we're in Harry Reid's Senate and "this" is a budget.)
To: BenLurkin
“A Hole in Mars”
I wish NASA would discuss other A-Hole’s...
10
posted on
07/22/2012 1:33:49 PM PDT
by
BobL
To: BenLurkin
It looks like the top of a pencil
11
posted on
07/22/2012 1:37:38 PM PDT
by
InvisibleChurch
( if you love, you will not condemn, and if you condemn, you cannot love)
To: Dogbert41
12
posted on
07/22/2012 1:39:36 PM PDT
by
UCANSEE2
(Lame and ill-informed post)
To: Revolting cat!
Invaders From Mars (1953)
This movie scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. We lived in base housing at Ft. Ord at the time and the ice plant covered hill behind our home was mostly sand just like the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ury5b-qtI1Y
13
posted on
07/22/2012 1:40:34 PM PDT
by
mazda77
("Defeating the Totalitarian Lie" By: Hilmar von Campe. Everybody should read it.)
To: dragnet2
Site of the 2000BC Martian Winter Olympics.
14
posted on
07/22/2012 1:44:51 PM PDT
by
UCANSEE2
(Lame and ill-informed post)
To: Revolting cat!
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
15
posted on
07/22/2012 1:45:54 PM PDT
by
Slings and Arrows
(You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
To: BenLurkin
16
posted on
07/22/2012 1:47:18 PM PDT
by
mikrofon
(Martian Open)
To: BenLurkin
It's a subsidence sinkhole of some kind. Something created a cavity beneath it and overburden collapsed into it. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the subsidence holes let after underground nuclear tests at Frenchman's Flat in Nevada:
? 
To: Slings and Arrows
18
posted on
07/22/2012 1:55:54 PM PDT
by
brivette
To: Dogbert41
Looks like the home of a giant ant lion.
19
posted on
07/22/2012 2:00:28 PM PDT
by
conservaterian
(Sarah/DeMint '12-XXX= Now what? Cain?XX Guess not. I GIVE UP)
To: BenLurkin
Good thing it wasn’t the seventh planet, we’d never hear the, um, end of it...
20
posted on
07/22/2012 2:07:40 PM PDT
by
null and void
(Day 1279 of our ObamaVacation from reality - Heroes aren't made Frank, they're cornered...)
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