Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Update Thread

[ianke]

I don't post on this thread but I do follow it quite closely.<br /><br />Could one of you guys go over this photo of the proposed landind sight and tell us what you see in laymens terms? I'd appreciate it . thanks. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[ianke]

To me those dark irregular splotches on the photo do not exactly look like shadows. If you look at them closely, the bright rims of those spots are not on any particular side so they don't look to be just shaded spots. Any thoughts as to what they are?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

Yes portercc.<br /><br />I like that one too.<br /><br />It is not too far from MER B Opportunity, so in a way it would compliment<br />the MERs very well.<br /><br />East Meridiani is some what different to Oppy's site, but is very clearly had a varied <br />hydrological history.<br /><br />Can see why it is a potential site.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[ianke]

In this East Meridiani photo, could someone let me know which direction the sun is shining from? Thanks <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[holmec]

All I can think of is volcanic lava hardened. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

HiRISE release : no 28.<br /><br />Mostly concentrating on the Solar system's largest volcano, <font color="red">OLYMPUS MONS</font><br /><br />Quite like this one: Possible Cinder Cone on the Southern Flank of Pavonis Mons.<br /><br />& this one: Large Lava Fan on the Northwestern Flank of Olympus Mons.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[portercc]

Good choices Andrew. I am amazed with every HiRISE release. I also liked http://hiroc.lpl.arizona.edu/images/PSP/diafotizo.php?ID=PSP_003450_1975<br />It almost looks wet.

 

[3488]

Very true. It does look like wet sand!!!<br /><br />IMO it is volcanic ash, very fine, which at this resolution will look 'wet'.<br /><br />I hope some of the posters on here like, centsworth_II Anthmartian & rlb2 can do something<br />with these images.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[anthmartian]

I agree Andrew. I believe it is dark volcanic material, produced maybe by wind erosion being distributed around the area.<br /><br />It is fascinating to see how it has settled though. Many of the contour like rings of dark material seem to be directly effected by the protruding features. <br /><br />Those strange ring like arrangements of dark material could i suppose even literally be contour lines! real life ones settling on shallow slopes which we cannot make out from the images.<br /><br />I will see what i can do with a couple of images Andrew. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em>"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star, or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"</em></font></p><p><font color="#33cccc"><strong>Han Solo - 1977 - A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....</strong></font></p><p><br /><br />Click Here And jump over to my site.<br /></p> </div>

 

[anthmartian]

here is the cone feature from PSP_002671_1790. <br /><br />At 200% of browse image size.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em>"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star, or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"</em></font></p><p><font color="#33cccc"><strong>Han Solo - 1977 - A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....</strong></font></p><p><br /><br />Click Here And jump over to my site.<br /></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thank you very much Anthmartian.<br /><br />I was hoping very, very much that someone would enlarge the cinder cone on Pavonis Mons.<br /><br />You excellent enlargement has already got me thinking (a life form<br />with no brain thinking)????<br /><br />The lack of small impact craters, suggest to me that this cinder cone is not very old.<br /><br />True there are dust dunes evident, so perhaps they may have covered some up.<br /><br />I do not know how high this feature is up the flanks of the gigantic volcano,<br />but if near the summit caldera, than the atmosphere is about 1 millibar thick, very thin indeed.<br /><br />In that case, it would take a very long time to move enough dust to bury features.<br /><br />The small pits on the right hand flank of the cinder cone are interesting. I do not think they <br />are impact craters. Perhaps from out gassing events???<br /><br />So my guess is that Pavonis Mons may have been active until the recent geological, oops sorry aerological past.<br /><br />I have downloaded it & once again, thank you very much for being so<br />thoughtful for me.<br /><br />There are many good people on these boards.<br /><br />Perhaps Jon Clarke could jump in with his very informed opinion.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[anthmartian]

Not a problem Andrew. Always happy to help out. <br /><br />Something to notice here is the sheltered area immediantly to the right of the cone. It has heavy cratering. <br /><br />Unsheltered areas such as inside the cone ( with the large depressed edge stopping shelter ) and out on the open plain has little cratering. I suspect wind blown dust has covered up a lot here. <br /><br />But, it could as you say be a mixture of covering, and it being a new feature. The lack of dunes behind that sheltered spot also suggests it is very sheltered. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em>"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star, or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"</em></font></p><p><font color="#33cccc"><strong>Han Solo - 1977 - A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....</strong></font></p><p><br /><br />Click Here And jump over to my site.<br /></p> </div>

 

[3488]

True Anthmartian.<br /><br />I wonder if the SHARAD on board MRO could penetrate the dust & see if similar craters<br />are beneath the dust.<br /><br />Its amazing how simialr this cinder cone looks to some that I have seen on the <br />Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife, Lanzarote & Fuerteventura.<br /><br />My guess is that they are of about the same size.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[anthmartian]

Funny you should say that, i have a photograph of one hanging on my wall right next to me taken in Lanzarote!<br /><br />It even has that collapsed rim as in the MRO image.<br /><br />You're right, it would be good to have a handle on the age of this terrain, and to know if the covering up of craters has given a misleading picture here. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em>"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star, or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"</em></font></p><p><font color="#33cccc"><strong>Han Solo - 1977 - A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....</strong></font></p><p><br /><br />Click Here And jump over to my site.<br /></p> </div>

 

[3488]

It is very funny Anthmartian that you say that too.<br /><br />When I stayed on Tenerife, there was a beautiful cinder cone, only about 500 metres away<br />from where I stayed. <br /><br />That too had a collapsed wall.<br /><br />Many seem too, including the few I saw on Fuerterventura.<br /><br />It seem to be a common feature with these & having seen a few myself,<br />the feature imaged by HiRISE on Pavonis Mons IMO is<br />definately a cinder cone.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[paulscottanderson]

Most new ones released June 1, with a couple more on June 4:<br /><br />http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/katalogos.php<br />http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=22765<br /><br />The entire HiRISE web site has been redesigned:<br /><br />http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/index.php <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="1"><span style="font-weight:bold" class="Apple-style-span">-----------------</span></font></p><p><font size="1"><span style="font-weight:bold" class="Apple-style-span">The Meridiani Journal</span><br />a chronicle of planetary exploration<br />web.me.com/meridianijournal</font> </p> </div>

 

[3488]

Small Volcano south east of Pavonis Mons.<br /><br />MRO HiRISE.<br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007.<br /><br />Large image here.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Lava Flows on Olympus Mons. <br /><br />MRO HiRISE.<br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007.<br /><br />Large image here.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Lava Flows on Ascraeus Mons. <br /><br />MRO HiRISE. <br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007. <br /><br />Large image here. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Peculiar Volcanic vent in Tharsis.<br /><br />MRO HiRISE. <br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007. <br /><br />Large image here. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Winter dunes in Pollock Crater. <br /><br />MRO HiRISE. <br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007. <br /><br />Large image here. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Gullies in Northern Hemisphere Crater. <br /><br />MRO HiRISE. <br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007. <br /><br />Large image here. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Unnamed fresh impact crater. <br /><br />MRO HiRISE. <br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007. <br /><br />Large image here. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Swirls of rock in Candor Chasma.<br /><br />MRO HiRISE. <br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007. <br /><br />Large image here. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Layers in Terby Crater. <br /><br />MRO HiRISE. <br /><br />Friday 1st June 2007. <br /><br />Large image here. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>