Curious fossil-like artifact on Mars

Here is the 45.81 MB .tif file of the same picture at a NASA website. It's
been there since at least 02-02-04 6:20:57 PM PST.
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/cat...umber=pia05199

Very interesting,
Steve

"Tony Sivori" wrote in message
news
imienia wrote:

Here is a close-up. -
http://images.fok.nl/upload/schedelfeaturemars.jpg From the shades you
can deduct it's peculiar form. Can't believe they would ignore it.

Wow, that is interesting! I thought it was some photoshop hoax, but it
really does exist in the original nasa photo.

I've posted it over in the sci.space.shuttle group, where most of the
rover discussion is. It will be interesting to see what they make of that
object.

--
Tony Sivori

Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I'm wondering about mv's "wishbone" object ... did the rover move the
opposite way from it? Or did it run over it or some such? I can't decide

Consensus from the shuttle newsgroup is that it is light debris from the
lander. Probably a piece of insulation or airbag. Dropped either as it
bounced to a stop, or blown off when the 20 or so pyros were fired that
permitted the rover to open up and drive off the lander.

--
Tony Sivori

Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I'm wondering about mv's "wishbone" object ... did the rover move the
opposite way from it? Or did it run over it or some such? I can't decide

Consensus from the shuttle newsgroup is that it is light debris from the
lander. Probably a piece of insulation or airbag. Dropped either as it
bounced to a stop, or blown off when the 20 or so pyros were fired that
permitted the rover to open up and drive off the lander.

--
Tony Sivori

I think what you're looking at is one of the BALLOON impressions from the landing.

Hans


wrote:
If you look at the image at
http://www.lyle.org/mars/oldmars/marstrue.jpg

in the lower right quadrant, just below the middle of the airbag drag
marks, there is a series of oddly regular pairs of white dots in the
martian soil

Some people I have shown this to agree that it might be a fossil,
others are skeptical.

Can anyone think of a way to enhance the image to better discern its
origin?

Could NASA be convinced to send Spirit back for a close-up?

JRU

I think what you're looking at is one of the BALLOON impressions from the landing.

Hans


wrote:
If you look at the image at
http://www.lyle.org/mars/oldmars/marstrue.jpg

in the lower right quadrant, just below the middle of the airbag drag
marks, there is a series of oddly regular pairs of white dots in the
martian soil

Some people I have shown this to agree that it might be a fossil,
others are skeptical.

Can anyone think of a way to enhance the image to better discern its
origin?

Could NASA be convinced to send Spirit back for a close-up?

JRU

Yes, must be it. It must be very light too, since it doesn't seem to
make an imprint in the soil, a heavy object could never lay on top of
the ground like that.
Pity though, wouldn't it have been nice if it was the skull of some
horned marsmellow eating marsupial?

On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 22:35:12 -0500, Tony Sivori
wrote:

Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I'm wondering about mv's "wishbone" object ... did the rover move the
opposite way from it? Or did it run over it or some such? I can't decide

Consensus from the shuttle newsgroup is that it is light debris from the
lander. Probably a piece of insulation or airbag. Dropped either as it
bounced to a stop, or blown off when the 20 or so pyros were fired that
permitted the rover to open up and drive off the lander.

--
Tony Sivori

Yes, must be it. It must be very light too, since it doesn't seem to
make an imprint in the soil, a heavy object could never lay on top of
the ground like that.
Pity though, wouldn't it have been nice if it was the skull of some
horned marsmellow eating marsupial?

On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 22:35:12 -0500, Tony Sivori
wrote:

Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I'm wondering about mv's "wishbone" object ... did the rover move the
opposite way from it? Or did it run over it or some such? I can't decide

Consensus from the shuttle newsgroup is that it is light debris from the
lander. Probably a piece of insulation or airbag. Dropped either as it
bounced to a stop, or blown off when the 20 or so pyros were fired that
permitted the rover to open up and drive off the lander.

--
Tony Sivori

Tony Sivori wrote:
junekis wrote:

If you look at the image at
http://www.lyle.org/mars/oldmars/marstrue.jpg

in the lower right quadrant, just below the middle of the airbag drag
marks, there is a series of oddly regular pairs of white dots in the
martian soil

Some people I have shown this to agree that it might be a fossil, others
are skeptical.

I see what you are talking about. I also agree with Martin, that similar
effects can be seen elsewhere in the same picture. The area to the left of
the large black rock in the center of the photo has several areas of
regularly spaced contrast and texture changes. It looks to me like they
are wind ripple produced by the interaction of wind and different sized
grains of sand.


Recently debunked. Opportunity's Mössbauer spectrometer pushed a few
into the sand:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/galle...h_movie_br.gif

See also at the bottom of:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/galle...20040206a.html



(Well spotted though for the lander debris described elswhere in this
thread!)

Regards,
Martin


--
---------- Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today.
- Martin - Teach him how to fish and he won't bother you for weeks!
- 53N 1W - - Anon
----------

Tony Sivori wrote:
junekis wrote:

If you look at the image at
http://www.lyle.org/mars/oldmars/marstrue.jpg

in the lower right quadrant, just below the middle of the airbag drag
marks, there is a series of oddly regular pairs of white dots in the
martian soil

Some people I have shown this to agree that it might be a fossil, others
are skeptical.

I see what you are talking about. I also agree with Martin, that similar
effects can be seen elsewhere in the same picture. The area to the left of
the large black rock in the center of the photo has several areas of
regularly spaced contrast and texture changes. It looks to me like they
are wind ripple produced by the interaction of wind and different sized
grains of sand.


Recently debunked. Opportunity's Mössbauer spectrometer pushed a few
into the sand:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/galle...h_movie_br.gif

See also at the bottom of:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/galle...20040206a.html



(Well spotted though for the lander debris described elswhere in this
thread!)

Regards,
Martin


--
---------- Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today.
- Martin - Teach him how to fish and he won't bother you for weeks!
- 53N 1W - - Anon
----------

Tony Sivori wrote:
imienia wrote:

Here is a close-up. -
http://images.fok.nl/upload/schedelfeaturemars.jpg From the shades you
can deduct it's peculiar form. Can't believe they would ignore it.

Wow, that is interesting! I thought it was some photoshop hoax, but it
really does exist in the original nasa photo.

I've posted it over in the sci.space.shuttle group, where most of the
rover discussion is. It will be interesting to see what they make of that
object.


A good find!

Looking at one of the high-res pans, you can see a fair few more bits of
similar debris strewn around the lander. Considering the colour and
nature of the bits, I agree with the idea offered elsewhere that they
are from the lander's pyrotechnics.

Good fun.

Cheers,
Martin


--
---------- Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today.
- Martin - Teach him how to fish and he won't bother you for weeks!
- 53N 1W - - Anon
----------