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

The Mars Report - April 28th, 2014

               Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is Monday April 28^th 2014, and this is ‘The Mars Report’. Today I will share a duo of unique finds, from the NASA/JPL web site. Our first find is a series of five images from the Martian rover Curiosity’s ‘Right NavCam’ (Navigation Camera). Today at 4:50AM the right navcam captured a meteor falling in the distance. Now, a few eccentric bloggers are (of course) spinning this as so ‘ET’ moment. The evidence is that Curiosity’s diligence was repaid with the capture of a falling celestial body, a meteor. The next five images, below, are the images showing the falling meteor.

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[caption id="attachment_2811" align="aligncenter" width="192"] Meteor 1[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2812" align="aligncenter" width="192"] Meteor 2[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2813" align="aligncenter" width="192"] Meteor 3[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2814" align="aligncenter" width="192"] Meteor 4[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2815" align="aligncenter" width="192"] Meteor 5[/caption]

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Well, that was fun. Wasn’t it? I am not convinced that this is ‘an alien dropping to the Martian surface’, and it will take a lot more evidence to convince me of that dubious finding. Moving on, the next image I have for your consideration is a graphic. This graphic shows the purposed pathway to Martian landing by American explorers in the year 2030. The pathway below is are goals outlined in the bipartisan NASA Authorization Act of 2010 and in the U.S. National Space Policy. So, if I manage to live to 73, then I will have lived to see mankind land on the Soon, and Mars! Here’s to me living to 2030!

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[caption id="attachment_2809" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The projected pathway to Man on Mars by 2030[/caption]

(The projected pathway to Man on Mars by 2030)

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Now, My Dear Readers, we come to our final image for today’s edition of ‘The Mars Report’. My Dear Readers, my health is worsening, and it is this fact which determines how much and how often I write and publish. I am no fool, I can clearly see that my traffic is lower than it has been for months. This adds to my depression, but there is little I can do to change this fact. Oh, I can push myself to publish more and more, longer and longer, and end up in a world of pain and suffering. I am pretty sure that nobody wants that outcome.

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The image, below, is the very first image from Curiosity since its arrival at the 'Windjana'target location. This is a sandstone rock, and the very first of this type Curiosity has encountered since landing. Now, My Dear Readers, I go to the NASA/JPL ‘Mars Science Laboratory’ web site, daily, looking for new and interesting or entertaining images. Today the site was bereft of such, and I have worked to provide you with some content to digest .

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Just as soon as Curiosity completes the scientific experiments, I will be sharing (with you My Dear Readers) the science and the images created. I will keep checking back, during the week, and if there is anything new I will post an updated edition of ‘The Mars Report’. Until then, I hope you enjoy the following image of Curiosity’s arrival at 'Windjana'!

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[caption id="attachment_2806" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Curiosity Mars Rover Beside Sandstone Target 'Windjana'[/caption]

(Curiosity Mars Rover Beside Sandstone Target 'Windjana')

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Well, I have managed to scrounge up some more images for you to enjoy. Each and every day Curiosity transmits, what are called, RAW Images. From these images NASA/JPL refines the ones they deem worthy of media use, or scientific use. Otherwise, they are stored on the web site. Today I have put together some of these RAW images for you to enjoy.

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Unlike other images I share, there are really no descriptions or science to share, regarding the images. Therefore, I will give you an explanation of where the images were taken, and by which camera. Beyond that, if there is anything I can find to share, I will! Our first RAW image shows a bit of the rover Curiosity and the Martian horizon in the background. Honestly, I look at all of these RAW images, each week, and I really enjoy all the views of the horizon and the Martian surface. I imagine I am on Mars, and looking at the surface and the horizon. It takes me away, for a few moments, from the world of pain and doubt I live in. Here is the first of the three RAW images I have to share.

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[caption id="attachment_2808" align="aligncenter" width="630"] HandCam Second Image April 24th[/caption]

(HandCam Second Image April 24^th)

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The next RAW image I have to share is of one of the smaller wheels to Curiosity and the bottom of the MASTCAM. There is none of the horizon, in this image, but you can see a good bit of the rover.

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[caption id="attachment_2807" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Hand Cam Image April 24th 2014[/caption]

(Hand Cam Image April 24th 2014)

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Our final image of the day is another of the Martian horizon as seen by Curiosity. I really like this image. Matter of fact I took this image and adjusted the tilt, cleaned it up a bit and now it serves as my desktop for my computer. I really like Mars, if you couldn’t tell by now. This image was taken on April 24^th, 2014 near the ‘Windjana’ sandstone rock, shown above. I could just sit and stare at this image, and several others like it, for hours on end. Hoenstly, it takes me away… to another place… peaceful and quiet… calm.

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[caption id="attachment_2810" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Martian Horizon Curiosity 4-24-14[/caption]

(Martian Horizon Curiosity 4-24-14)

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And, with that, My Dear Readers, we come to the end of yet another edition of ‘The Mars Report’ here at ‘The Other Shoe’. I do hope that you have enjoyed the images I have shared. I do so look forward to your visits... your ‘Likes’ and ‘Shares’. Like I said, earlier, if there is anymore news or science discovered over the week, I will publish another edition of ‘The Mars Report’. Again, thanks for dropping by and have a great week!

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Thank YOU!

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Adieu!

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