Mars

[alokmohan]

Thanks for clearing.

 

[dkaakd]

If Mars really came that close, I wonder if the waves in my swimming pool would be big enough to surf on? <br /><br />It might be fun until the gravitational force caused major destrution here on Earth.<br /><br />Surf's up!

 

[sad_freak]

is it not so that mars has a large quantity of water just under the surface? and an atmosphere wich is largely CO2. if that's the case, surely this is the ideal enviroment for algae. <br /><br />we'll i think mars does get exposed to a large amout of elecrto-magnetic radiation from the sun because it has no magnetic field or somthing. but i'm sure organisims could develop to cope with this. <br /><br />i am a stong beliver in microbacterial life on mars. has anyone come close to proving it?

 

[JonClarke]

How can you believe there is life on Mars without evidence for it? The most that you can say is that you believe that there is the possibility of life on Mars. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[qso1]

The only spacecraft ever built (That were actually flown) for the express purpose of finding life on Mars was the unmanned Viking craft. Viking 1 and 2 landed on Mars in 1976. What ended up happening resulted in a verdict so to speak of "Inconclusive". Some scientists believed the experiment results were indicative of life being present. Others suggested chemical reactions were the cause.<br /><br />Its possible microbiological organisms, particularly of the extremophile variety could develop, even under the harshest conditions. Problem is, we just don't know if this has actually occured on Mars. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

I think he's approaching it the way I have over the years. And the way some scientists approach it. The circumstantial evidence route. Life has arisen on earth in some pretty hardy environments and as of the late 1970s, even harsher environments have proven to be abodes of life. He stated he believes and one can state that without evidence, or with little bits of circumstantial evidence IMO. The statement can be made so long as its qualified as you suggested. How you worded it "Possibility of life" is certainly a more accurate way to state it. And this is how I generally state it myself if I'm halfway thinking.<br /><br />I think thats what sad_freaks intent was as evidenced by the "Has anyone come close to proving it?" question. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

"The only spacecraft ever built (That were actually flown) for the express purpose of finding life on Mars was the unmanned Viking craft." <br /><br />Beagle 2 was built for an astrobiological mission. Phoenix will also have an astrobiological focus.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[qso1]

True, Beagle I usually regrettably forget because it crashed on Mars and I do recall seeing Phoenix as being designed to seek out life but to what extent, I'm not sure. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

The gaols of Phoenix are:<br /><br />(1) study the history of water in all its phases<br /><br />(2) search for evidence of a habitable zone and assess the biological potential of the ice-soil boundary.<br /><br />http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/science/objectives.php<br /><br />Particular astrobiology-focussed instruments are:<br /><br />Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) and Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA) http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/technology/<br /><br />There is less than a year to launch!<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[qso1]

Thanks for the links. Looks like a very interesting mission. Just hope its able to provide more evidence for some kind of life there, if there is any. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[ldyaidan]

My husband has a theory that Mars was hit by a large asteroid. He believes that the large crator we see on the one side of Mars is evidence of that hit, and Olympus Mons the "exit wound" He sees the moons of Mars as debris blown free of the planet, and that the impact is what stopped the core, disrupted the magnetic field, and caused the atmosphere to be "blown away". Anyone have any thought on this?<br /><br />Rae

 

[harmonicaman]

Yes; I think you should take your husband in for a CAT scan...<br /><br />Just kidding! That's a cool idea, but probably not what actually occurred. <img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /><br /><br />BTW; there seems to be several objects in the Solar System that have a large single volcano, like Mars' Olympus Mons, which makes me wonder if this will be a common feature found on lots of Extrasolar planets and moons...

 

[alokmohan]

I dont rule out.

 

[ittiz]

I think the nitrogen slipped away. But evidence seems to indicate that the oxygen is gone because it oxidized with the iron in the Martian soil. The reason why this didn't happen on earth is because it has plate tectonics due to the moon and over geologic time the oxygen is released after the crust is recycled deep in the earth.

 

[harmonicaman]

...and, of course, green plants constantly pump enormous quantities of O₂ into our atmosphere as this is a poisonous waste product of most photosynthesizing life forms!

 

[qso1]

I just wonder if nitrogen was ever present in Mars atmosphere. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

There is about 3% nitrogen in the Martian atmosphere.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[qso1]

Thanks. I couldn't remember if Mars had or currently has nitrogen in its atmosphere. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Enough to be useful from a misison planning perspective <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[mcast]

My friend got an email about how mars will be visible at August 27 around midnight...is this true?

 

[MeteorWayne]

No it's not. See this thread<br /><br /> click on this link <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Not this AGAIN. <br /><br />THIS HAPPENED IN AUGUST 2003.<br /><br />It is now AUGUST 2006. THREE YEARS PAST.<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>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Lighten up, he's a new guy.<br />I directed him to the most recenet thread on SS&A, which actually covered it quite well.<br />Now with nifty graphics!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

mcast, by the way, welcome to SDC. (That's us here)<br />click on the link I provided, and read the posts. <br />It covers it quite well.<br /><br />MeteorWayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Dear mcast,<br /><br />Sorry about being so gruff. <br /><br />It is just that this myth is being perpertrated over & over.<br /><br />Welcome to SDC.<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>