Optical illusion . . . or . . . Photo evidence of ancient Martian receding lake level?

NASA,JPL & pharmerphil's Photoshop 6 ^ | 1-11-2004 | Phil V. & Socks C.

[Phil V.]

What (if anything) do you guys make of this pic. I've been experimenting with the raw stereo pics (left and right). I've been attempting to make my own 3D pics using Photoshop 6. I adjust the left pic for red and the right for blue. I then overlay them on a new pic of equal size (1024 pixels) and set the transparency of each layer to 50% then flatten the image and convert to jpeg. In this case I shrunk the size to 512 pixels.

Look at the "contour pattern". I do not yet have 3D classes and my stereoscope is at work. I can't tell if the "contour pattern" shows up in 3D or in stereo. If it does it is very suggestive of a pattern of receding water levels. What other action would create these contours (if they are real).

Here are the links to the original left/right stereo pics. The "contour patterns" do NOT show up in the individual left/right pics . . . only in the overlay.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p/006/2P126900739EFF0203P2214L2M1.JPG
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p/006/2P126900739EFF0203P2214R2M1.JPG

[Bluntpoint]

What keeps Mars from falling on our heads?

[Mr Ducklips]

I agree with you that it's a receded lake. The cause: global warming; or maybe John Ashcroft.

[PatrickHenry]

Looke like the Japanese beat us to it:

[Bluntpoint]

When's the planting season on Mars?.....;)

Dunno......

But harvesting was always a suck job!!!!!!

[Phil V.]

What keeps Mars from falling on our heads?

The "good hands people", Allstate?

[BushCountry]

I am going to download the 35MB image later (I got great image enhancement software on my computer at work) and check out in photoshop. But, you are not alone when it comes to seeing things in the Martian soil.

[nightdriver]

ATV tracks!! It is an interesting picture, though.

[farmfriend]

Looks like someone has been 4 wheeling.

[Paladin2]

Sand Worm tracks. Did we remember to send a thumper?

[farmfriend]

Looks like someone was doing donuts...

That is what I thought. Glad I'm not the only one.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

There is a time shift between the photos.

[bert]

I tried it with my genuine Hondo glasses made in 1991 for the TV revival I think, and report that the "contour patterns" in the foreground do have depth. The back ground looses the perception of depth.

The foreground is reminiscaant of the place where the snow groomers turn around on a ski slope. It definitely looks like the tracks of a turning tracked vehicle.

any way, thanks for your effort.

[Phil V.]

There is a time shift between the photos.

A "time shift" might be relevant if the Martian landscape were in motion relative to the rover. In this case the rover is stationary. The two pictures were taken effectively simultaneously but through two lenses separated by several inches to simulate the 3D vision that we as humans perceive. The camera and the landscape are stationary . . . correct?

[adaven]

It is anomalous, however I have seen very similar formations here in the Nevada Desert left over from huge dust-devils.

[Salamander]

Yeah, but Triffids are *so* tasty sauteed in butter!

( perhaps illegal aliens will take the picking jobs that the Martians don't want )....;)

[Salamander]

Hey!
I think I see a Clovis point!

[BushCountry]

LOL

[Cvengr]

A time shift might explain why the 2nd rock from the left is now bigger than the third rock on the right, which is now missing in the later photo. Rocks don't eat other rocks do they?

[Bullish]

Looks exactly like Barstow California.

Wouldn't suprise me either.