Thursday, August 9, 2012

On Mars

Every day, we get a little bit closer to the kind of expertise and the kind of experience we're going to need to go there. I'd love to be the guy walking on Mars.
~John L. Phillips


The planet Mars
Observed September 3, 1877
New York Public Library

Behold Mount Sharp!
This image taken by NASA's Curiosity shows what lies ahead for the rover -- its main science target, Mount Sharp.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Greeley Panorama
This full-circle scene combines 817 images taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Produced by Cornell University.

Cratered Dune Forms
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

A towering dust devil casts a serpentine shadow over the Martian surface.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

An Avalanche on Mars
Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA
A thaw occurs each spring in the Northern Hemisphere of Mars, as the warming climate causes solid carbon dioxide ice to sublimate directly to vapor.

A vertical shaft that cuts through lava flow on the flank of the Arsia Mons volcano.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Sojourner rover taking an Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer measurement.
Pathfinder mission.

Signs of Water on Mars
A geological region of the rock outcrop at Meridiani Planum, Mars dubbed "El Capitan." The area in this image is 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) across.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL/US Geological Survey

Links:

Did you realize that Tuesday and March were both named for Mars? NASA has a lot of interesting Mars info:

* Mars for Educators
* Mars for Students
* Mars for Kids
* Explore Mars print (this one isn't from NASA)

3 comments:

Linda B said...

Thanks for these, Tabatha. Each one is inspiring. Don't you know that those working on the rover project are so excited. I love that dust devil one-wow.

M Pax said...

The data collected by the previous probes and machines is fascinating. the new photos are even more breath-taking.

HWY said...

Wonderful vacation photos, huh? :-)

Really have to strain to wrap my head around the fact that these shots are from MARS. They are excellent.

The dust devil one is fascinating, but my favorite has to be the 1877 one. I'd seen it before and thought that it really looked science-fiction-y...and amazing, and it still does!