Press Releases - February 09, 2004 - Mars Rover Pictures Raise 'Blueberry Muffin' Questions

NASA - JPL ^ | 02-09-2004 | NASA/JPL

[Phil V.]

three images . . .

But on smaller screens such as mine the third image is kicked to a second line.

[Hunble]

Understood! Nobody has the same computer video capabilities as anyone else and it is always a challenge.

By the way, I have enjoyed the scientific debate with you and others tonight.

[Fitzcarraldo]

[Phil V.]

New images are in . . .

left - right

right - left

[adaven]

What are you supposed to do with these stereo images to see them in, um, stereo?

[Hunble]

WOW!

I have not seen that image yet and it is the best I have seen from the surface of Mars so far.

Take a look at that rock formation at bottom center!

From the shadows, it has two thin fingers lifted above the surface. Wind erosion is extremely important with these rock formation, but that is rather amazing.

It reminds me of the wind erosion arches seen in Utah.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Here's that rabbit again (from sol 2):

[Hunble]

I know...

I was biting my tong to not use the word Rabbit.

Utah arches worked....

[Phil V.]

left - right

right - left

[Hunble]

Phil V.

Keep posting these new images please.

It has been frustrating, but the official NASA website is always lagging behind.

We are studying the images you are showing us tonight. This last 3D image shows how small those rocks are.

Now we can place each of the layer thickness into perspective.

[John H K]

Apologies, had a friend come over to visit and missed the posts where people wanted to find out about the sulfur.

During today's press conference, archived on Real Media on the cspan site (look in the "latest video" column for the link:

http://www.cspan.org/

Can't remember how many minutes in, but Steve Squires stated that right before the conference started they'd just gotten the first spectral data from the outcrop and it was full of sulfur, they were still analyzing the data.

[John H K]

It has been frustrating, but the official NASA website is always lagging behind.

All of those posted pics are from the official Mars Rover website, the "raw images" link.

[Hunble]

Higher in sulfur content......

That is a major qualifier and must be taken notice of.

These rocks are not sulfur, as may have been implied by previous postings.

They only have a higher sulfur content than the surrounding soil.

To me, that only implies a more recent origin.

[Fitzcarraldo]

[Ichneumon]

WOW! I have not seen that image yet and it is the best I have seen from the surface of Mars so far.

Agreed -- it's outstanding, and the prior photos were nothing to gripe about either.

Take a look at that rock formation at bottom center! From the shadows, it has two thin fingers lifted above the surface.

That's strikingly similar to the ears of the "bunny" formation seen in other photos. Coincidence, or is something else at work?

[John H K]

THere are very few rocks that are ENTIRELY sulfur.

During the press conference they mentioned they had two remaining hypotheses for the composition of the outcrop (as distinguished from the spheres)....wind blown dust, or volcanic ash.

These are the top planetary scientists in the world, mind you, and they take the volcanism hypothesis quite seriously.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Coincidence, or is something else at work?

those 'flakes' are probably as light as paper

[Hunble]

Thanks, I can see the new images on the NASA website now.

No matter how much I look at the NASA website, Freepers always post those images from Mars first.

So obviously, I look at Free Republic first for the most recent information.

[TXnMA]

Bump for further study...