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Astronomy Picture of the Day 6-04-02
NASA ^
| 6-04-02
| Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell
Posted on 06/03/2002 9:42:54 PM PDT by 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.
2002 June 4
A Martian Metamorphosis
Credit: Malin Space Science Systems, MOC, MGS, JPL, NASA
Explanation: Is it an Escher, or Mars? Three different types of surfaces visible in the North Polar Cap of Mars morph into each other in a way perhaps reminiscent of the works of M. C. Escher. On the far left dark sand covers the ground, while the center shows a transition to a dune field. On the far right a transition is made to a much lighter surface, likely containing a larger amount of ice. Shadows indicate that lighter material holds the higher ground, with some steep cliffs on the divide. Dune shapes indicate that wind typically blows toward the upper left. Mars Global Surveyor, one of two robot spacecraft currently orbiting Mars, took the above image in early 2001. Recent images from the other orbiter, Mars Odyssey, have bolstered the hypothesis that a significant amount of water-ice lies beneath the surface near the Martian South Pole.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; dunes; global; ice; icecap; image; mars; northpole; photography; redplanet; sand; spacecraft; surveyor
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To: sleavelessinseattle
the idea of a fictional colony to point out the flaws in the US government and society in general With precision, that is how sci-fi works. It transforms the coordinates of our act, our show, to an alien system so as to remove much of what we don't see day-to-day because it is background to our daily lives. What is left is the point, which could be something political or social, a question of "what is this? seen in isolation." Thus an alien, Enemy Mine, with some human characteristics, or an Empire existing in itself and by itself in a galaxy far away, or a legal system trekking at warp 8 to an unknown destination, or the effect of a single discovery, cavorite, on the coursae of history.
To: RightWhale
Hey Shepherd!
I also enjoy the way Sci Fi allows you to isolate human reactions as in a laboratory controlled environment...Being in an alien environment...your humanity becomes MORE pronounced...Sci Fi has technology in it, but it is not there to be the star! The monkey in the bubble is where the action is at(We want to see the reaction of the Astronaut looking at something no human has ever seen before, I mean, What would you do if you met a Democrat who wanted you to spend your money the way you saw fit?...I'd call in a fire mission from Tonkin cause I was in the presence of something not of this earth or MARS!Classic Human fear of the unknown in its pure form)
Star Trek was so culturally integrated in such a way that it wasn't an issue...Until Abe Lincoln stepped on the bridge, noone ever talked to Uhura about her race...Her response was CLASSIC We've come to understand that everyone is beautiful for who they are! Jesse Jackson has done more to DESTROY true racial harmony in this country than IDI AMIN or all the heavy Crip and Blood gangs in history!!!!
Gene Roddenberry gets a toast from me everytime his name is mentioned in a documenary of the star trek phenomenon...His ashes are in orbit...RIP Revolve in Perpetuity, Gene...Wish I could have shaken your hand just once...
To: sleavelessinseattle
BRICKS hold a civilization together...Quite elequent, Sleaveless. Nice intro for Psyops. I'll put the papers in order, get the coals burning and call over the dancing girls. Swish, swoosh...the sound of grass skirts and laughter - here they are...
TONKIN LIGHTS UP THE SKY WITH MANY FORMS OF ORDINANCE SOME PROTOTYPES Look up at the sky...its probably visible from Earth... I highly approve of fireworks!
To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
Hi Tonk, a ping to you as well. I hear you can put on a great ordnance display! :)
To: Libertina;Spookbrat
HEY LT!!! Doorway to the coolest Spot in the Human Sphere of Influence NEW FReepia!!! Loves my low number Bricks!!! The pork smells wonderful...Spookbrat is modeling some nice Martian work clothes for us!!! Do you have time to post on this thread SB??? I think it deserves a second look... You EtsDaquiri what the Dr. Ordered!!! Astronomers need Real heavenly bodies too! BUt I digress...LT I'm concerned at the use of the Presidential Neutronium Mastercard for frivolous excursions into Terran nightlive and Haute Couture! I delegated AFVetGal to find us a great pizza that travels well for our Canteen Snack food during Tonkin's Artillary Symphonies! She appears to have strayed into just buying clothes and showing off her Ahnold Terminator/gofer! May have to lower her limit or up her motivations with more Diamonds from our Space Factories...Next to Spirits of the Law, (a shameless ripoff of Myers rum, BTW) Golfball Sized Carbon Crystal (diamonds) have a remarkable effect on performance!!!
You have done so well I'm going to give you an eternal Paperweight of Whatever your favorite gemstone you like! Gestation about two weeks...its not exactly mundane with the acquired at yard sales at liberal Univerities trying to get past our negative impressions of what kids are learning in College these days>8-\
To: sleavelessinseattle
the acquired Insert....The pres is getting noddy...LOL
To: sleavelessinseattle; Radio Astronomer
Are we talking Venus again?
To: sleavelessinseattle
The acuired use of
equipment from YARD Sales is what i've tried to say Three times, now! BEDTIME for BONZO!!! Libertina, SpookBrat! See YA LATER BrickLayers of the first wave to mars!!! High schools will be named for you!!!
Martian Olympic games would be fun watching Earthers participate!!! That light Gravity is going to scew up a lot of pop fly "Gimme" outs!!! When IS that baseball hit going to land????LOL!!!
To: sleavelessinseattle
Is this what you look like?
To: Libertina
HEY, Its Good to be the PRes DuJour!!! Gotta give the Freeps something to do while I await AfVet Gals return with the Ideal, no holds Barred, Best pizza in the univers...It's required eating at all formal meetings(too many) and Informal meetings(Too Few, and they are a GAS!!!) Be sure to play up the SPA advantages of two hundred years of Cryogenic suspension! They get their hair and nails done for free when they wake up,.,,So Many awakener's have been amazed at the Pulchritudinous contingents of Canteen Dwelling Womens...They get over pee -ing into the water recycler phobia pretty well, in the presense of our Martian Hulas!!! I must Say!!!
To: SpookBrat
Strange place for Bicep muscles normally in my arm They almost look like MARTIAN HOOters!!! THe PRES is a Straight MAN!!!! Lots of people make that mistake especially if I reveal the TeaBag trick!!!I watch too much Martha Stewarts!
To: sleavelessinseattle
You scared me to death. I thought I was posting on the canteen. ROFLPIMP!!! errr....this isn't the canteen. I'll be scooting right along...see ya! Great thread BTW. I'll be back.
To: SpookBrat
Yeah, We can go inside Terran orbit around the Sun(That is, until the Chinese get into space and start cordoning off vast regions to store their swelling prison populations!!!) Venus is cursed with A really dense atmosphere and its quite "Balmy" even for cooking a scrambled egg!!! Keep looking for more fashions!!! I can Afford it!
To: sleavelessinseattle
You have done so well I'm going to give you an eternal Paperweight
of Whatever your favorite gemstone you like!
I am rather partial to these :)
To: SpookBrat
No NO NO!!! That the worst Ahnold Ou812 impression... click here to see the master deliver his Tag!!!
To: Libertina
Would one the size of a gear shift knob on your desk meet with your approval? my Indivisable, Pig roasting BRICK around town!!! BTW you will be giving the voice over for Tonkins 4th of July extravaganza!!! LIGHT EM UP!!!!
To: sleavelessinseattle
Yeah, that's what I meant. "I'll be bach".
I gotta go to bed. I have to get up early to make Egg McMuffins. Good night!
To: sleavelessinseattle
Hmmm... What about poor ol RA? LOL!!!!!!
To: RadioAstronomer;spookbrat;Libertina;psyop;MistyCA; Snow Bunny;
Right Whale
HEY!!!! My BRICK of EM RADIATION is here!!!HI RA!!!
Actually I said the wrong title for you, I just haven't had time to write my opus FORCING the metaphor of a Support BEAM to fit the Brick structure of the day to day Colony ops! You and Pet7 are my BEAMS!
You don't have to worry about structure of the BRICK organization of NEW FREEPIA...You hold all the walls together with knowledge about our environment, determining what it is that we are building...Looking in all directions...Kind of implies EM radiation which fits both of your jobs, added realism, eh?...Literary types might start surmising that future rank designations have a pValue of 1 that they will have something to do with architecture! We're building a MARS house!!!! RA P7, You both got top bunk by the window births!!! I'll tell Tonkin not to fire artillary when you're moving your dish or focusing your Telly!!! New FReepia...Be THERE or Be Terran!
To: sleavelessinseattle
YES! One deeply colored emerald, the size of a gear shift knob on my desk WOULD meet with my approval! And of course living in Hawaii itself is also very soothing. :) voice over for Tonkins 4th of July extravaganza I would be privileged to share the stage with Tonkin! It would be worth making that loooooong trip to FReepia. BTW, any moon makers on FReepia? Nothing like a few full moons to set the scene.
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