CNN/AP: Orbiter photos show surface of Mars

[DeepModem Mom]

Orbiter photos show surface of Mars
Sunday, April 9, 2006


Craters and valleys are seen in this false-color image taken 1,549 miles above the surface of Mars.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Scientists have processed more than a dozen new photos taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which arrived at the Red Planet last month, including its first color image.

The crisp test images released Friday revealed pocked craters, carved gullies and wind-formed dunes in Mars' southern hemisphere.

The diverse geologic features show the importance of water, wind and meteor impacts in shaping the Martian surface, scientists said.

The orbiter, the most advanced spacecraft ever sent to another planet, reached Mars on March 10 and slipped into an elliptical orbit. (Full story)

Over the next six months, it will dip into the upper atmosphere to shrink its orbit, lowering itself to 158 miles above the surface....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/04/09/mars.orbiter.ap/index.html

[Archae]

1. I see the "Face!"

:P

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. It looks like

Curious George.

[saigon68]

13. HERE IS CURIOUS

[mike_c]

2. the images from 158 mi will be stunning....

I can't wait.

[applegrove]

3. Gosh I hope they find life on Mars. Especially life that was compressed

into huge amount of petrol over eons. That would be good. We wouldn't have to worry about killing Mars would we? Maybe there is something combustable on Mars anyway? I can dream can't I?

[niallmac]

4. A really inspiring accomplishment amidst troubled times.

Nice to know a little bit of what us monkeys can do when we aren't arguing.

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. a little clearasil will clean that right up

:D

[pinto]

7. Thanks for the post. Interesting stuff. Here's NASA link as well:

http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/gallery/all/spirit.html

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Thanks, pinto!

[Southsideirish]

8. I wonder what Richard Hoagland will think of them? nt

[htuttle]

10. "ENTERPRISE MISSION EXCLUSIVE: Martian beer cans seen in NASA photo"

As usual, the evidence will consist of an over-enlarged photo showing an area of 12 smudged pixels, with circles around it and lines pointing to it and a small description to one side.

[arwalden]

11. This Is A Much Better Way To Spend Our Tax Dollars!!!!

I love things like this!

[Ian David]

12. I see they worship The Bert God

[jim3775]

14. The original image file you can get off of the JPL website is...

40mb large, its 10000 pixels X 26000 pixels across. There is some serious detail to these images.