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Astronomy Picture of the Day 2-18-03
NASA ^
| 2-18-03
| Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell
Posted on 02/18/2003 3:40:11 AM PST 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.
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.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; canyon; composite; depression; exploration; geology; image; mars; mosaic; photography; valley; viking
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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:
To: MozartLover; Joan912; NovemberCharlie; snowfox; Dawgsquat; viligantcitizen; theDentist; ...
2
posted on
02/18/2003 3:41:51 AM PST
by
petuniasevan
(® ex-€älîƒørñìåñ ™)
To: petuniasevan
3
posted on
02/18/2003 5:13:42 AM PST
by
MeekOneGOP
(Bu-bye SADdam. You're soon to meet your buddy Stalin in Hades.)
To: petuniasevan
Thanks as always for the all informing post.
To: petuniasevan
BIG bump
5
posted on
02/18/2003 6:22:31 AM PST
by
WSGilcrest
(R)
To: petuniasevan
Good morning, thanks for the ping
6
posted on
02/18/2003 6:45:52 AM PST
by
firewalk
To: petuniasevan
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...
7
posted on
02/18/2003 7:11:52 AM PST
by
Mr. K
(all your (OPTIONAL TAG LINE) are belong to us)
To: petuniasevan
Neat, again! Thanks.
To: petuniasevan
Incredible images......
To: petuniasevan
Incredible.
10
posted on
02/18/2003 1:01:04 PM PST
by
sistergoldenhair
(Don't be a sheep. People hate sheep. They eat sheep.)
To: Mr. K
11
posted on
02/18/2003 1:33:45 PM PST
by
petuniasevan
(® ex-€älîƒørñìåñ ™)
To: petuniasevan
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.. :)
12
posted on
02/18/2003 1:45:36 PM PST
by
Mr. K
(all your (OPTIONAL TAG LINE) are belong to us)
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.
13
posted on
02/18/2003 1:49:26 PM PST
by
petuniasevan
(® ex-€älîƒørñìåñ ™)
To: Mr. K
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.
14
posted on
02/18/2003 1:57:54 PM PST
by
petuniasevan
(® ex-€älîƒørñìåñ ™)
To: Mr. K
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.
To: RightWhale
I know, i just like it.
16
posted on
02/19/2003 5:42:23 AM PST
by
Mr. K
(all your (OPTIONAL TAG LINE) are belong to us)
To: petuniasevan
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)
17
posted on
02/19/2003 5:45:14 AM PST
by
Mr. K
(all your (OPTIONAL TAG LINE) are belong to us)
To: RightWhale
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
18
posted on
02/19/2003 5:47:32 AM PST
by
Mr. K
(all your (OPTIONAL TAG LINE) are belong to us)
To: petuniasevan
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.
19
posted on
02/19/2003 5:50:12 AM PST
by
Mr. K
(all your (OPTIONAL TAG LINE) are belong to us)
To: Mr. K
We have similar formations right outside my back yard. They are permafrost features.
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