The Mars Report - May 5th, 2014

               Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. A big welcome back to ‘The Mars Report’ for May 5^th, 2014. Tomorrow I must make a journey, by mass transit, from here in Orange County all the way into Los Angeles County, Rolling Hills Estates. I leave at 8:30AM and return home at 8PM. Yes, a twelve hour journey to see one doctor. Anywho, I am mentioning this because I am pressed for time, today. Therefore, this will be a shortened version of this storied series. Not to diminish this edition, because in this edition you will get to witness… … … Martian Dunes MOVE!

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That’s right, at the end of this issue I will share a time lapsed image, from NASA/JPL, showing dunes on the Martian surface move. Now, until we get to this point, let’s get back to the major focus of today’s edition. Since I last posted, the Curiosity rover has engaged in another scientific experiment. We had arrived at the Kimberly and had moved up beside Windjana’, a sandstone formation in the Kimberly. The image below shows Curiosity’s current location on the Martian surface.

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[caption id="attachment_2842" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Location of Mars Sandstone Target 'Windjana'[/caption]

(Location of Mars Sandstone Target 'Windjana')

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You know, I think it was really brilliant that NASA/JPL put a satellite in orbit over Mars at the same time as Curiosity’s adventures. This gives everyone the opportunity to track the rover’s progress and protects our investmentby having eyes in the sky. Below is the very first image Curiosity sent back upon arrival at the Kimberly ‘Windjana’ location.

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[caption id="attachment_2841" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Curiosity Mars Rover Beside Sandstone Target 'Windjana'[/caption]

(Curiosity Mars Rover Beside Sandstone Target 'Windjana')

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Now, as I mentioned in an earlier edition, our arrival at Windjana is monumental in Curiosity’s journey because this is the very first instance of sandstone formations. So far, Curiosity, had only been around mudstone formations. This, harder, sandstone formation will give more of Curiosity’s instruments a challenge while providing more scientific evidence for future study. Below is the first transmitted image of the Windjana sandstone face.

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[caption id="attachment_2843" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Martian Sandstone Target Windjana Before and After Brushing[/caption]

(Martian Sandstone Target Windjana Before and After Brushing)

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Our next image is after Curiosity has drilled into the face of the Windjana sandstone face. You can see the darker core fragments around the edge of the bore hole.

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[caption id="attachment_2844" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Preparatory Drilling Test on Martian Target 'Windjana'[/caption]

(Preparatory Drilling Test on Martian Target 'Windjana')

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Our next two images are of sand dunes on the Martian surface. These images are taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Aye, that’s the orbiter that I mentioned above the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that monitors; weather shifts, planetary location, and even sand dunes on the Martian surface. It is Curiosity’s ‘Eyes in the Sky’. Our next image is a stationary image of Martian sand dunes that the orbiter has been monitoring for the past several months. They look just amazing!

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[caption id="attachment_2840" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Active Dune Field on Mars[/caption]

(Active Dune Field on Mars)

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As always, I have saved the very best image for the last one of this edition of ‘The Mars Report’. This image is a time lapse of composite images taken from the Martian Orbiter of the very same sand dunes that are pictured above. And, YES that is ICE on the Martian surface you see above, and below. If this uploaded correctly, and you sit there and look for a minute, you should be able to see the Martian Sand Dunes move, right before your eyes!

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[caption id="attachment_2845" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Time Lapse of Martian Dunes[/caption]

(Time Lapse of Martian Dunes)

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Well, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the end of yet another edition of ‘The Mars Report’ here at ‘The Other Shoe’. I would like top thank you, one and all, for dropping by and taking a few moments to share these incredible images from the Martian surface. It is always a pleasure to share, and have enjoyed, these images from another world… with someone. Have a great and productive week, and I will see you again right here, later this week.

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2296" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The Other Shoe's Daniel Hanning 2/2014[/caption]