3/15/2005: Beauty of Mars

Undertoad • Mar 15, 2005 5:22 pm
Image

What would you think this is if I didn't give a hint of it in the Subject?

What it really is, is much more phenomenal. These are vertical cliffs on Mars, today's Astronomy pic of the Day. But what's really amazing is the size; there's nothing to offer perspective here, but these cliffs may be as high as 2 kilometers high!

The Apod says that there is a canyon that's almost twice that deep on Earth, Colca Canyon in Peru. (Which hasn't made the field of 64, World Landmarks - maybe because it's hard to get to see?)
sandra77 • Mar 15, 2005 7:25 pm
It really is beautiful. Thanks for bringing that to our attention.

Sandra
richlevy • Mar 15, 2005 9:04 pm
Sorry, I thought you meant something like this:

Image
Elspode • Mar 15, 2005 11:33 pm
North or South Martian polar cap?
Eric • Mar 16, 2005 12:16 am
i like Mars, i like astronomy.great picture.thanks for sharing it.Under
Undertoad • Mar 16, 2005 12:26 am
North
xoxoxoBruce • Mar 16, 2005 1:54 am
Looks like sand but I guess it can't be with cliffs like that.
Anyway, it doesn't look like a nice place to live. :gray:
Trilby • Mar 16, 2005 7:41 am
It looks like the creamy nugat of my Mars bar. :yum:
Delicious planet.
xoxoxoBruce • Mar 16, 2005 11:49 am
Great, Venetians (with attorneys) gobbling up Mars. :lol:
Wormfood • Mar 16, 2005 12:34 pm
I bet BASE jumpers would love those cliffs,
just remember to bring along some bigger parachutes on your journey to mars. :)
xoxoxoBruce • Mar 16, 2005 4:24 pm
Is the gravity greater or lesser? :confused:
BigV • Mar 16, 2005 4:28 pm
gravity is slightly less, but air pressure is 99% less.

Your parachute would have to be huge!! in testing the parachute for the martian probes, the chute that was designed to deploy at supersonic speeds (think of the wall of air at mach 1) could be simulated at earth's sea level air pressure of merely 80 mph.

So a supersonic free fall on Mars feels as windy as 80 mph earth winds. very windy for sure, but how big must my chute be to make a big enough drag to slow me down to walk-away-from-impact speed?!
Wormfood • Mar 21, 2005 3:18 am
Hmm, I guess they can forget the chutes and bring along some retrorockets instead. :)
lol • Mar 21, 2005 3:54 pm
Mars will always be a mystery. By the way have you noitce the face on mars has disapeared?
Happy Monkey • Mar 21, 2005 4:02 pm
It was never there.
wolf • Mar 22, 2005 1:35 am
I thought he just got bored and went to check out Saturn, which at least has the rings to look at.
lol • Mar 22, 2005 11:51 pm
Happy Monkey wrote:
It was never there.


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Happy Monkey • Mar 23, 2005 7:33 am
I could find some funny "faces" in the trees if you like...
Beestie • Mar 23, 2005 9:10 am
Jimmy Hoffa???
wolf • Mar 23, 2005 2:39 pm
I think it's Dr. Mengele.
Happy Monkey • Mar 23, 2005 3:06 pm
I think it's Dr Zaeus.
wolf • Mar 24, 2005 1:45 am
Now that you mention it, I think it looks more like Zira.
dar512 • Mar 24, 2005 10:51 am
I was thinking Imhotep's sand-face. Too literal?