Marvels from Mars: Stunning postcards from the Red Planet

[redqueen]

By Michael Hanlon

The Red Planet, Mars, fascinates us like no other celestial body. We have yet to visit the most Earth-like world in the solar system in person, but since the Sixties a small armada of space probes have poked and prodded the dusty Martian surface.

And, as these astonishing images show, they have taken the most spectacular close-up pictures while orbiting the planet.

Because Mars has so little air, and certainly no substantial running water and no vegetation, the processes of weathering and erosion, so important on Earth, operate differently on Mars.


Valley of mystery: This chasm looks as if water once flowed through it

The result is that Mars is covered with spectacular, near-vertical cliffs, huge rubblestrewn plains and vertiginous crater edges.

(more at link)

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1243364/Marvels-Mars-Stunning-postcards-Red-Planet.html#ixzz0czIajDgu

[nykym]

1. Is that a

half pipe I see down there?
Really cool images. Thanks

[Codeine]

2. Soften the transitions

and you have the greatest skatepark this side of Sirius IV!

[nykym]

5. Love

the lips!

[Occulus]

3. "This chasm looks as if water once flowed through it"

Looks as if? Looks bleedin' obvious to me.... I have to wonder, though, how long ago. With the winds and sand, how long would such geographical features be preserved?

[Skittles]

4. WOW

AWESOME!