iNow Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 Perhaps some of the earliest images. They showed the dust that had been kicked up by the Mars Lander Engine rockets during the powered descent phase of the landing.
iNow Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 The post cards continue to arrive. Here are 15 photos from Curiosity's first week on our red neighbor: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/08/13/gallery-curiositys-triumphant-first-week-on-mars/
iNow Posted September 2, 2012 Posted September 2, 2012 For a little perspective: http://www.space.com/16575-mars-exploration-robot-red-planet-missions-infographic.html 4
iNow Posted September 18, 2012 Posted September 18, 2012 (edited) Curiosity's first 360 panorama! It's super cool, as if you're right there on the surface of Mars. http://www.panoramas.dk/mars/curiosity-first-color-360.html Edited September 18, 2012 by iNow 4
Moontanman Posted September 19, 2012 Posted September 19, 2012 Absolutely awesome iNow... I keep looking at this panorama and thinking a lizard should run past or a tuft of grass should appear as the camera sweeps across the Martian surface...
imatfaal Posted September 19, 2012 Posted September 19, 2012 Absolutely awesome iNow... I keep looking at this panorama and thinking a lizard should run past or a tuft of grass should appear as the camera sweeps across the Martian surface... Mind-blowing stuff! Funny - I keep looking at the panorama and I cannot get over how alien it appears to me. Difference in perspectives ? - I am a northern European and there is greenery everywhere; and whilst I have been to the North African deserts, even they did not look so bleak and forbidding.
Bill Angel Posted September 19, 2012 Posted September 19, 2012 Here is something to ponder: "Meteoroids slamming against the atmospheres of alien worlds could add organic gases that make them look inhabited by life even if they are not, researchers say." So even if the Mars Rover is successful in finding organic molecules, their presence would not necessarily be indicative of past or present (bio)chemical activity on the planet.
imatfaal Posted September 19, 2012 Posted September 19, 2012 Where's the quote from Bill? I find everything to do with Mars completely extraordinary and cannot get enough of it! But the idea that organic molecules would be more likely to come from an asteroid impact than from Mars sounds unlikely.
Phi for All Posted September 19, 2012 Posted September 19, 2012 Mind-blowing stuff! Funny - I keep looking at the panorama and I cannot get over how alien it appears to me. Difference in perspectives ? - I am a northern European and there is greenery everywhere; and whilst I have been to the North African deserts, even they did not look so bleak and forbidding. Having lived most of my life here in Colorado, it looks anything BUT alien to me. We have a great range of different terrain here, and I could probably drive to a place that looks similar in about an hour and a half . But you're right, the complete lack of vegetation is eerie, and anyplace I could find near home would have SOME scrub grasses in an area of that size. I'm struck almost speechless thinking that, ten years ago, I wouldn't have thought I'd soon be sitting at my computer zooming in on some rocks that were not only from Mars, but that were still on Mars. It just blows my mind and I feel very grateful that the society I live in felt this was important enough to invest in. Thanks to everyone who had anything to do with supporting this endeavor. 1
Bill Angel Posted September 19, 2012 Posted September 19, 2012 Where's the quote from Bill? I find everything to do with Mars completely extraordinary and cannot get enough of it! But the idea that organic molecules would be more likely to come from an asteroid impact than from Mars sounds unlikely. See: http://www.space.com/17657-alien-planets-methane-meteorites-atmosphere.html
akh Posted September 20, 2012 Posted September 20, 2012 (edited) Here is something to ponder: "Meteoroids slamming against the atmospheres of alien worlds could add organic gases that make them look inhabited by life even if they are not, researchers say." So even if the Mars Rover is successful in finding organic molecules, their presence would not necessarily be indicative of past or present (bio)chemical activity on the planet. Not entirely true. If you read further into the article that you linked to below, it states that this cannot account for the levels of methane seen on Mars. We are far past the era of heavy bombardment in our solar system. There is far less organic mater raining in from space presently than in the early solar system. There is still influx of organics from micrometeorites, but still not enough to explain all the methane observed in the Martian atmosphere. This may be an issue for the extra-solar search for life. But i think there are ways around this. Edited September 20, 2012 by akh
iNow Posted September 20, 2012 Posted September 20, 2012 I'm struck almost speechless thinking that, ten years ago, I wouldn't have thought I'd soon be sitting at my computer zooming in on some rocks that were not only from Mars, but that were still on Mars. It just blows my mind and I feel very grateful that the society I live in felt this was important enough to invest in. QFT. I frequently find myself deeply disheartened and dispirited at the pitiful state of reason and logical thinking in our modern world, often in context of politics and the depth of ignorance so regularly on display in that domain. Yet just when the hour seems darkest, just when the light at the end of the tunnel seems most dim and most absent, we are gently reminded of what a small group of dedicated passionate people can truly achieve together, and how their focused efforts come together to benefit the whole of mankind and make so many of us remember the joy we felt when looking at the stars as younglings. I don't so much find myself struck almost speechless at the difficultly of imagining such an experience ten years ago... I find myself rooted in the present with that magnificent wonder... iNow am awe-struck, inspired, and grateful for the reminder that humans really can do great things even against seemingly insurmountable odds when we decide to come together and do so. 1
pantheory Posted September 20, 2012 Posted September 20, 2012 What a cool panoramic view! Maybe the closest thing that I can think of to Mars are pictures I've seen of a few places on the high deserts of Chile. Here's a link. http://www.google.com/search?q=pictures+high+desert+chile&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=BVVbUL-cKc_xiQLHlIHwDQ&ved=0CCcQsAQ&biw=1025&bih=428
mr.spaceman Posted September 28, 2012 Posted September 28, 2012 (edited) NASA Rover Finds Old Streambed on Martian Surface http://www.nasa.gov/...sl20120927.htm l up pic Edited September 28, 2012 by mr.spaceman
mr.spaceman Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 What is it? any idea? Team spotted bright object on ground — possibly a piece of rover hardware photo hosting sites
iNow Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 Likely off the rover itself, whatever it is. Here's a better second shot (from Phil Plait):
Daedalus Posted August 5, 2013 Author Posted August 5, 2013 Tomorrow, August 6, 2013, marks the one year anniversary for Curiosity being on Mars!!! Celebrate NASA Curiosity Mars Rover's first birthday tomorrow: http://go.nasa.gov/194IAd0. #NASA's Curiosity rover has already achieved its main science goal of revealing ancient Mars could have supported life. #1YearOnMars 1
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