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Cylindrical Polar Mosaic 'Selfie' Curoisty[/caption]

(Cylindrical Polar Mosaic 'Selfie' Curoisty )

Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. AMAZING NEWS My Dear Readers! The rover, Curiosity, has arrived at the target location of its mission to Mars. MOUNT SHARP! After two years and nearly nine kilometers (approx~ 5.6 miles) Curiosity has arrive at Mount Sharp. Well, at the base of Mount Sharp. I have been so involved in my; cancer, my campaign to raise much needed money to pay the BILLS from my cancer treatment and the remaining Seventy-two hours I have to garner much needed support that I totally missed reporting this event. Amazing, I was right here reporting (In real time) when Curiosity landed (safely) at Bradbury Point. I am a little miffed that, well, that the cancer and the campaign have so distracted me.

Nevertheless, Curiosity has finally made it to the base of Mount Sharp and I have several images, already, to share. Hang on, I was just reviewing last week’s edition of ‘The Mars Report’ and it seems that… yes… still checking… YES! I have a whole folder (not of “women”… I am not Mitt Romney… folders full of woman? Who will ever forget that line?) Anywho, I DO have a folder just chocked full of some pretty spectacular images from Mars. However, I have a few from Curiosity’s arrival at Mount Sharp and I want to try and incorporate those with the images I have in the folder.

Now, if this just gets too big, and I find myself in a great deal of pain. Then I will just share the images of curiosity’s arrival at Mount Sharp and save these other images form another day. They are spectacular. Here, take a look at what I found digging around NASA/JPL the other day…

(Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL Web Site [1])

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Mars Volcanic Cone with Hydrothermal Deposits[/caption]

(Mars Volcanic Cone with Hydrothermal Deposits[2])

Now, that is a 3D rendered/Composite image from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Now, this is one of the most amazing images (I think) I have ever shared here on ‘The Mars Report’. This image is a false color derived from infrared waveband observations of the volcano by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). The false color infrared imaginary is then overlaid on to a stereoscopic image taken by stereo pair of Context Camera images. Topographic information (the 3D rendering part) is done with the images input into NASA Ames Stereo Pipeline software. And BINGO you have the amazing and incredible image you see above.

You see, My Dear Readers, I was just stumbling around the NASA and JPL web sites and I found this whole area with the most spectacular images. They are not just RAW images, nor are they the semi-processed images for the press, what I usually share with you here on ‘The Mars Report’. These images… well, you see one ^ above, they are just of a whole other level of refinement. If one were to make a coffee table illustrated book of ‘Images From Mars’ THIS is the level of images one would use.

So, while I was writing all that, and looking at all these images I have to share. I made a decision, My Dear Readers. Rather than just dump all these incredible images into one edition of ‘The Mars Report’? Here is what I am going to do. Over the next several weeks, each and every week, I am going to just drop one of these images into the content for that issue. This way, I make the best use of these images, I don’t blow the whole load at once, and you, My Dear Readers, get one incredible image from the Martian surface each and every week. Now, that I have found the outlet for these incredible images, I am going to stock up on these puppies. There are just hundreds of these fine quality images and 3D rendered images.

I am going to download a whole bunch, and then let them out one-at-a-time. Yes, that sounds like the best idea… maybe one of the best ideas I’ve had in some time. Now, back to the images I have of Curiosity’s arrival at Mount Sharp. I wasn’t really aware… my mind really has been distracted by.. this cancer stuff… treatment… stopping treatment… rescheduling appointments… consulting with radiologists and all. That, last week, I already shared some of the images Curiosity took when it arrived at Mount Sharp. Below is the best image taken by Curiosity’s arrival at the base of Mount Sharp.

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Complete Composite Image From Curiosity at Base of Mount Sharp[/caption]

(Composite Landscape Mount Sharp Upon Arrival)

Many of us, myself included, sometimes forget that Curiosity’s first priority is science. Like today, here I am really wanting some landscape images, some long shots of the foothills, images that inspire and strike awe. Reality is that just as soon as Curiosity arrived at the base of Mount Sharp it began working. Working at drilling onto a part of the rock face of the base off the foothills of Mount Sharp. So, My Dear Readers, whereas I would really like to bring you all; landscapes, mosaics, long shots and picturesque images. What I have to share (aside from the cylindrical polar mosaic at the top of the article… a cylindrical mosaic at the bottom) are images of the drilling site and a close-up.

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First Sampling Hole in Mount Sharp[/caption]

(First Sampling Hole in Mount Sharp)

Like I said, just as soon as Curiosity pulled up to the foothills they found a nice sandstone rock face and drill baby drill! (LOL) This is a close-up (near close-up) of the very first hole Curiosity has drilled upon arrival at Mount Sharp. The next image, is the same hole… only from the distance of the mastcam. You can see a lot ore of the rock face, but you still cannot see the surrounding terrain.

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Distant shot of First Hole in Mount Sharp[/caption]

(Distant shot of First Hole in Mount Sharp)

Our next to the last image, for today, is… well, a little confusing. I am going to let you, My Dear Readers, experience this image much the same way that I did. I am not going to give you any explanation, I am just going to share it with you… and let your imagination take you for a little run around the block. Remember this image was taken on the Martian surface by the rover Curiosity. See you on the other side.

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???[/caption]

(???)

OK, how many of you, My Dear Readers, are medical students… X-Ray technicians… of other medical/health care professionals? What do you see in this image? If you said “Broken femur bones” you, My Dear Readers, would be correct… almost! This is not the broken bones of some extraterrestrial life form… Nope, these are just some unexplained rocks on the Martian surface. However, this image did have a lot of people… well, excited at NASA/JPL. At first. Gotcha!

That brings us, My Dear Readers, to the conclusion of this week’s edition of ‘The Mars Report’. I hope that you have enjoyed reading and viewing this article as much as I have enjoyed preparing and sharing. I have just one more image for your viewing pleasure, today. This is a cylindrical mosaic of tire tracks of Curiosity somewhere in Gale Carter, prior to crossing over to Kimberly point. Check it out!

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Cylindrical Mosaic of Curiosity’s Tire Tracks[/caption]

(Cylindrical Mosaic of Curiosity’s Tire Tracks)

That, My Dear Readers, is the final image for this week. I really do hope that you have enjoyed your stay, here today. If you have? I would like to ask you indulgence, for a moment. If you are not already aware, I was recently diagnoses with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer – Stage 4. I am willing, and able, to start… continue treatment (chemotherapy). However, in order for me to; get to an from treatment I need the help of my caregiver. He works two jobs, as well as helping take care of me. In order for him to help me get to chemo, radiation treatments, immune system booster shots, and all the rest.

He must take off large amounts of time from work. That translates into us not having money for; rent, transportation, medications, and anything and everything that Medicare does not or will not cover (which is growing all the time). Therefore, I have started Danny’s Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo [3]. The campaign has been ongoing for Forty-Two days. I have raised, only, $380.

That is no where near enough money for me to return to treatment… to battle and beat this cancer. Therefore, I implore YOU, My Dear Readers, to reach out and lend me a helping hand. I do this with a great deal of hesitation and trepidation. It is not in my nature to ask for help or assistance. However, I simply must or I will leave myself open to the ravages of cancer.

Please go to the web site, take a look, read, and then… Please, decide to donate. $5, $10, $20 or even $100 or $500. I can use whatever you have to give. Please?

Adieu!

Thank YOU!

Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo