The Mars Report - August 18th 2014

[caption id="attachment_2896" align="aligncenter" width="215" class=" "] High-Resolution Self-Portrait by Curiosity Rover Arm Camera[/caption]

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                Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is Monday August 18^th, 2014. It has been just eleven days since my world was turned upside down and I was told that I have Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer. I am still working my way through, like, the stages of ‘grief’ (?). I think that I am to the anger part. Anyway, regardless of my personal/health situation I am going to… “Keep Moving Forward” by writing and publishing as many of my regular articles as I can manage. That being the case, today is Monday and that means a trip to Mars!

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‘The Mars Report’ is now entering its third year of publication. It is easy to keep track because I started this article series right around the time that Curiosity landed on the Martian surface. So long as I keep up with Curiosity’s Anniversaries I can keep track of just how long I have written and published this series of articles.

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As most of you, My Dear Readers, know in preparation for this article I go to the Mars Mission Web Site @ NASA/JPL[1]. I go there to take a ‘look-see’ for new and/or interesting images from Curiosity and Opportunity (Spirit is no longer ‘with’ us). When I went to check things out, for this edition of ‘The Mars Report’ I was delighted to discover that there were about a half-dozen ‘new’ images for me to share with you! That was all I needed to get me moving on this edition, and get all of us back on the Martian surface!

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Now, My Dear Readers, I am going to ask for your indulgence here. As I am still suffering from my neurological pain, and now we can add to that my pain and weakness and fatigue as a result from the cancer. Please understand that I just might use more of the descriptions and narratives from the web site than ever before. However, unlike some (recent) politicians I will properly footnote and credit the sources of the material that I ‘barrow’. I really do not like using the work of other writers, I really enjoy my writing… a lot! I just have to be honest about just how much I can do, and still get articles written and published. Better to barrow some, and publish more, than to barrow none and publish less. Yes?

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For our every first image of the day I thought it would be a good practice to share an image showing Curiosity’s current location on the Martian Surface. Curiosity is currently located in Hidden Valley. This appears at the end of the yellow line near the upper/Center/Right hand side of this image. Right below the number 705, for the Seven hundredth-fifth Sol day on the Martian surface. Curiosity started out at Bradbury’s Landing, named after the brilliant Science Fiction author Ray Bradbury.

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[caption id="attachment_3358" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Curiosity’s Current Location in ‘Hidden Valley’[/caption]

(Curiosity’s Current Location in ‘Hidden Valley’)

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While in the location ‘Hidden Valley’ rover Curiosity spots a large rock outcrop, apparently well suited for its fourth drilling operation. This part of the rock outcrop has been labeled ‘Bonanza King’. Our next image was taken while still in the location ‘Hidden Valley’ and looking up the ramp to the rock outcrop and ‘Bonanza King’. Just between you, My Dear Readers, and me? I honestly think that they should take and release more color images from Curiosity. Now I know that color images take up huge amounts of space and take substantially longer to transfer and upload. However, I think that it would make for nicer looking pages for my blog! J

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[caption id="attachment_3361" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Looking Up the Ramp Holding 'Bonanza King' on Mars[/caption]

(Looking Up the Ramp Holding 'Bonanza King' on Mars)

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Having arrived at the rock outcrop out next image looks back and downward. Gazing backward towards ‘Hidden Valley’ through a ‘Fish Eye’ lens, we look into the valley and at a portion of the rock outcrop that ‘Bonanza King’ is found. In this shot, as well as the previous image, you can clearly see the tire tracks of Curiosity in the loose Martian soil. When man, finally, arrives on the Martian surface I image that those astronauts will find the Martian surface very similar to that of the moon. Dusty, loose soil barely clinging to the Martian surface and kicked up by the slightest movement or wind.

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[caption id="attachment_3363" align="aligncenter" width="630"] View Down 'Hidden Valley' Ramp at 'Bonanza King' on Mars[/caption]

(View Down 'Hidden Valley' Ramp at 'Bonanza King' on Mars)

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I really am surprised that I have, so far, not resorted to just ‘copy/paste’ from the web site. It is quite encouraging that I am still taking my time and added my personal touch by writing all descriptions and the narrative myself! Our next image is, again, another shot from Curiosity looking back down and Northeastern into ‘Hidden Valley’. This shot is taken from the rock outcrop along side the ‘Bonanza King’ site of Curiosity’s nest drilling. You can see, in the background of this image, the foothills of our ultimate destination, Mount Sharp! I am looking forward to the arrival of Curiosity at Mount Sharp. All the incredible images, the discoveries, and the scientific experiments and insights we will gain from that location.

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[caption id="attachment_3359" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Down Northeastern Ramp into 'Hidden Valley' on Mars[/caption]

(Down Northeastern Ramp into 'Hidden Valley' on Mars)

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Now for our next image, My Dear Readers, is the candidate for the forth drilling operation by Curiosity on the Martian surface… … … ‘Bonanza King’! This is the ONLY ‘color’ image in this edition of ‘The Mars Report’. I didn’t want to put it first, and blow my best image at the very beginning. I didn’t want to put it last, and take the chance that many of you, My Dear Readers, might leave before you saw the only color image. Therefore, I made the decision to place this color image near the middle of my article. That way I am not popping my best right off the bat, and I am not so burying my best that many of you, My Dear Readers, never ‘see’ this beautiful color image. Here goes!

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[caption id="attachment_3360" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Drilling Candidate Site 'Bonanza King' on Mars[/caption]

(Drilling Candidate Site 'Bonanza King' on Mars)

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The final two images for this edition of ‘The Mars Report’ neither come from Curiosity! Here, at the end, I have decided to move away from Curiosity and show some of the work from Opportunity and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Opportunity was one of two rover’s that landed on the Martian surface as part of the same project and very close to the same time. The other rover was Spirit. Spirit met with an untimely death when it was parked facing the wrong direction, and in an unshielded area, just before the last ‘Martian Winter’. It just didn’t make it and is sitting, in silence, on the Martian surface.

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However, conversely. Opportunity has just finished achieving a milestone in travel. It has just hit the twenty-five mile mark on the Martian Surface. This, My Dear Readers, is the single greatestdistance traveled by any man-made object, on an extraterrestrial surface, since the beginning of time! Giving Opportunity the distinction of extraterrestrial sojourner and America the nation that made it happen! Kudos to all the people responsible for the; programming, construction, launch, landing and direction of Opportunity! KUDOS! Here is the image, from Opportunity, at the end of that twenty-five miles.

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[caption id="attachment_3362" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Opportunity's Surroundings After 25 Miles on Mars[/caption]

(Opportunity's Surroundings After 25 Miles on Mars)

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Here, at the end, My Dear Readers, I just could not make it any further. I am so very proud to have made it seven pages and six images with all the description and narrative written solely by me! However, I am at the very limit my the pain I can handle and my creativity is suffering. Therefore, I am going to ‘copy/paste’ the description and information for the final image of this edition. I do hope that you understand and do not think less of me or hold it against me… that I just had to get a little help… here at the end.

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“A path resembling a dotted line from the upper left to middle right of this image is the track left by an irregularly shaped, oblong boulder as it tumbled down a slope on Mars before coming to rest in an upright attitude at the downhill end of the track. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recorded this view on July 3, 2014.

The boulder's trail down the slope is about one-third of a mile (about 500 meters) long. The trail has an odd repeating pattern, suggesting the boulder could not roll straight due to its shape.

Calculated from the length of the shadow cast by the rock and the known angle of sunlight during this afternoon exposure, the height of the boulder is about 20 feet (6 meters). Its width as seen from overhead is only about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters), so it indeed has an irregular shape. It came to rest with its long axis pointed up.”[2]

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[caption id="attachment_3357" align="aligncenter" width="630"] An Irregular, Upright Boulder on Mars[/caption]

(An Irregular, Upright Boulder on Mars)

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With that, My Dear Readers, we come to the end of this edition of ‘The Mars Report’. I have feelings of great accomplishment, considering my current health condition, and joy! I am really feeling it. Right about now I am wondering just how long I am going to be able to keep this up? I will be forced to resort to using my Speech-to-text software… soon. That does not make me happy, as I feel that I miss out on some of the creativity that happens when fingers strike keys.

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My Dear Readers, regardless of how I make it happen? I will continue to write and publish, right here at The Other Shoe for you, My Dear Readers. Now, I would like to ask your indulgence in a personal matter. As you may, or may not, be ware I have just been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This is a very serious form of cancer of the lymph nodes.

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This cancer can be treated and with the proper drugs it responds well and I could live another 10-13 years. Aye, there’s the rub.’ I am a ‘man with limited means’. As such… I am forced to ask you, My Dear Readers, for your assistance. Below is a box. It is a box that is connected to my Indiegogo Campaign – Danny’s Cancer Treatment Fund. If you would, PLEASE, could PLEASE take a moment.. watch the video (I am pretty funny in it) and reach out and HELP me FIGHT this CANCER!

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!

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Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo

http://igg.me/at/DannyCancerTreatmentFund/x

© 2010 – 2014 Hanning Web Wurx and The Other Shoe

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo[/caption]

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[1]http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/eventwebcast/index.html#

[2]http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/mro/pia18594/#.U_F8JcVdX85