Opportunity Rover enters Victoria Crater

The Mars rover Opportunity is now ready to begin exploring the Victoria Crater in a multi-week mission on the inner slope of the bowl. Opportunity was required to test its maneuvers and check for wheel slippage at the rim of the Crater before engaging in this mission. Opportunity started its decent into the Crater with two of its six wheels below the rim and finished the day 20 feet below its starting location. The first destination is a striated layer of exposed rock that may hold answers to interactions between Martian atmosphere and the surface millions of years ago. NASA engineers have ensured that a safe route to the rock formation exists and over the coming weeks, Opportunity will seek answers and explore the interior of Victoria Crater.

Mars Caves Formed by Volcanoes and Meteorites

The recently discovered caves were created in a short amount of time by violent meteorite impacts and volcanoes, say researchers. This makes these caves very different from the ones on Earth, which are made from slow dripping processes. The Geological Society of America is meeting this week in Denver and will attempt to identify the origin of Martian caves. The lava tubes were identified earlier this year by orbiting spacecraft. Ice melted by meteorite impacts could lead to bursts of caves around the impact zone. Caves formed by both of these processes could offer one attractive feature to prospective Martian life - protection from the loosely filtered solar and cosmic radiation that bombards the Martian surface. Researchers agree that caves could be the ideal place to search for Martian life.

Meteorite impacts could carve caves by creating two things vital for cave formation, fracturing and melting. On Earth, it's along fractures and planes in rocks that caverns form. Water travels through these fractures and dissolve, widening them if they are the right type of rock. On Earth these "right types of rocks" are carbonates (limestone) or evaporites (salt and gypsum). both types of rock are dissolved easily by either mildly acidic or neutral water. It is not known whether carbonates exist on Mars, but evaporites are believed to be everywhere. All such caves on Earth contain microbial life. Only time will tell.

Article:
http://abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2007/2077053.htm?enviro

Opportunity Celebrates 2 "Mars Years" on the Red Planet

Yesterday (Oct. 30th) marked the 2 year anniversary of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's exploration mission. NASA recently gave Opportunity a 5th mission extension and is currently exploring the Victoria Crater. It is the biggest crater ever explored on Mars at ground level. NASA is not sure whether Opportunity will ever make it back out of this crater.

Happy birthday Opportunity:

http://www.discoverychannel.ca/reports/article.aspx?aid=4874

Victoria Crater

The Mars rover Opportunity has made its first tentative dip into a giant crater called Victoria, which should reveal conditions farther into the Martian past than anything the rover has seen before.

Cave Creation

Researchers have recently discovered the answer to how the caves found on Mars were created. Researchers have determined that those caves were created by volcanoes and meteors. This means that unlike Earth, Mars caves were not created by water. Meteorites could have caused these caves because on impact they would fracture and melt existing ice.These caves are still thought to offer an attractive habitat for Martian life because it offers protection. Heres a link to more information:
http://abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2007/2077053.htm?enviro

Rover Will Collect Mars Samples to Send to Earth

In an article in Discovery News, staff writer Irene Klotz discussed NASA's new plans to recover samples of Mars pebbles and soil to send back to Earth. New science chief Alan Stern is now preparing for a sample return mission in 2020. Scientists believe this will be the best way to prove whether life ever developed on the Red Planet.

"You look around and can't help but think that life here is unique and special. If you find life elsewhere, that tells you that conditions that existed here...existed somewhere else and that biologically, we're not unique. Philosophically, that has a lot of implications,"

said co-chairman of the Mars Science Laboratory committee, John Grant. The Mars Science Laboratory mission is scheduled to launch in 2009 and it is NASA's best attempt to establish whether Mars is a potential habitat. The committee narrowed the list to 6 of candidate landing sites for MSL. The committee will continue to observe images sent from orbiters that are currently circling Mars. Scientists decided not to return to Opportunity's landing site in the equatorial region of Mars which shows evidence of a shallow salty sea. Instead, the consensus was to explore a region that has clays, which are believed to have been formed by water interacting with rocks. Some of the potential landing sites show fan-shaped structures believed to be prints of standing water. Other areas actually show clay deposits on the surface. Most of the sites will require MSL to drive for several weeks and maybe months from where it lands to reach the most scientifically interesting features. But with the rover designed to operate for a full Martian year (687 Earth days), scientists believe the driving time is worth it. Within the next year, scientists will need to narrow the landing site options to either the four more northern locations (Nili Fossae Trough, Marwth Vallis, and Runcorn and Jezero craters) or the two southern ones (Holden and Terby craters). Wherever scientists decide to travel, bits of materials will be picked up and deposited into a wire mesh basket that is the size of a hockey puck.

Water and dormant volcanoes on Mars

Recent findings provide evidence that our red neighbor, Mars, presently contains plentiful water as well as dormant volcanoes. The discovery of the water came after the wheels of NASA's Spirit rover churned out a strange, white substance from the planet's dust. Ian Campbell, a University of Guelph physicist, says "We're seeing indirect evidence of water, water that's chemically bound into a white, salty stuff that seems to lie below the surface sand." Campbell and his colleagues believe the samples contain up to 16 per cent water, and that they are likely remnants of oceans or pools that evaporated.

In addition to these findings, Mars may also be home to three dormant volcanoes that were originally thought to be completely extinct.

Check out the article here:

http://www.discoverychannel.ca/reports/article.aspx?aid=4810

Ice Caps

Mars has both north and south polar ice caps. These polar caps, like ours on Earth, grow and recede with the Martian seasons.

The south polar area contains a series of layered deposits thought to be composed mainly of frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice), dust and some recently discovered water ice. This photo shows the south polar cap of Mars at its smallest size of about 400 kilometers (249 miles). It looks reddish because of the Martian red dust that has been absorbed into it.

Volcanos, Mars and the Moon.

This website describes the volcanoes of Mars, which are the largest in our solar system. There is a wide spectrum of volcanic evidence on Mars ranging from cones, patera structures, volcanic planes and lava flows. There are less than 20 named volcanoes on Mars, 5 of which are giant shields. Volcanic activity really only occurs in 3 regions of Mars called Tharsis, Elysium, and Hellas Basin.
The website then goes on to explain the differences in age between Mars and the Moon. There are also descriptions between the ‘settings’ of Mars and the Moon. This website is awfully vague and I was not left convinced that the claims they made were actually true. I would not recommend visiting this site.

Rock Diversity

For the next mission to Mars, NASA is being selective of their choice of landing site. They are seeking out a place with a high amount of rock diversity. It is their hope to find minerals that show evidence of water in the past in order to further learn about the water history on Mars. Images from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) are providing lots of information for the selection of the landing site.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071019171417.htm

ICE!

New high resolution pictures of Mars are providing evidence that ice on Mars has a preference to certain latitudes, which in turn suggests that Mars has a latitude-dependent climate. Certain land features and debris on Mars give evidence for glaciers and there are similarities to the Arctic and Antarctic regions on Earth. James Head III described the process as "a quest to understand the Martian water cycle."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071026095131.htm

Martian and lunar soil simulate available to public

If astronauts are to properly prepare for the exploration of the Moon and Mars, they need to practice using materials that simulate the surface (regolith) they will land on. Now, for the first time, lunar and Martian soil simulates are available to NASA and the public. The company ORBITEC has been working since 2005 on the development and improvement of compounds that simulate Martian and lunar soil. A recent delivery of 45.000 pounds of lunar regolith stimulant and Martian soil stimulant was provided to engineers and scientists working on the development of mining equipment, robots, space suits and plant growth for use in outer space. The development of this soil stimulant will help scientists to better engineer the tools and machinery that is used in space. ORBITEC also developed the Astro and Space Gardens we see in so many home kitchens these days.

Detailed Picture of Mars With Ice

The main difference between Mars and Earth is that water on the Red Planet is rarely liquid and spends most of its time in gas or frozen form. There are pictures that reveal a range of ice-made features that show a strong preference to certain latitudes. Scientists used to have to study small postage-stamp size pictures, but can now rely on much better pictures to learn more about the mysterious planet. The signs of water ice are obvious at each of Mars' poles. However, as you move toward the equator, there is plenty of evidence that water ice had shaped the surface at one time. Not far from either pole, widespread bumpy polygonal patterned ground suggests the expansion and contraction of icy permafrost ground. This is very similar to Earth's Arctic and Antarctic regions. Even closer to the equator next to Mars' equatorial volcanoes are signs of glacial debris and small valleys which drop into canyons. On Earth this is a strong indication that a glacier once filled and shaped the canyon. Among the instruments used to study Mars are the Mars Global Surveyor's Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and Camera (MOC), the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Context Camera (CTX) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), and the Mars Express's High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC). These instruments have helped scientists in unlocking the secrets behind Mars' history. Below is a picture of the south polar region of Mars. Today's Martian polar caps were once titled toward the Sun more. This drove the ice to the lower latitudes, thus creating glaciers and other icy formations.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071026095131.htm

Top Ten Discoveries by Martian Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity

This article contains a pictorial tour complete with descriptions of the top ten discoveries by the robotic Martian rovers, Sprit and Opportunity. These rovers have allowed scientists to gain huge insight into the geology of Mars. Originally designed to explore Mars for just 3 months, these rovers continue to scour the surface for clues to the secrets of Mars 3 years after their arrival. Some of the top ten contributions of these rovers include…

*stunning visual images of Victoria Crater
*the presence of basaltic rock, hinting at ancient activity of water on Mars
*a meteorite resting on the ground (the first discovered on another planet)
*high concentrations of sulfur in Martian rocks
*film clips of dust devils, one of the few active processes that shape the surface of Mars in present times
*Hard evidence that Mars was once a wet planet
-silica rich soil
- ‘blueberries’ and rippled rock layers which could only be formed if water once flowed on the Martian surface

Active Volcanoes on Mars?

A new article suggests that there may be at least three volcanoes on Mars that are dormant rather than extinct. Each of the suspected volcanoes are more than three times the size of the largest volcano on Earth, which is found in Hawaii. New studies of lava flows on Mars show that they may have been active within the last 2 million years. If an eruption is possible in the future - especially if all three were to become active again - I suspect this would have some substantial effects on the atmosphere of the planet due to the gases that would be emitted.

More Evidence Found for Water on Mars

Recent news from Mars furthers the theory of water on Mars. An orbiting spacecraft has sent back new evidence for the presence of water on Mars. Scientists long have debated whether water flowed on the red planet, with evidence increasing in recent years. The presence of water would raise the possibility of at least primitive life forms existing there.Images from a camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show alternating layers of dark- and light-toned rock in a giant rift valley. Within those deposits are a series of linear fractures, called joints, that are surrounded by "halos" of light-toned bedrock, according to researchers from the University of Arizona. The findings were published in Friday's edition of the journal Science, and were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Francisco. The researchers also said that layered outcrops can indicate cycles with materials deposited by regular episodes of water, wind or volcanic activity.

Exploring Mars

This article address the new spacecraft called Phoenix that is set to take off and land on an unexplored section of Mars, near the north pole. It is set to land this May.
Phoenix is equipped with a trenching tool that can dig down half a meter into the dirt--far lower than the few centimeters of previous missions--and a grinding tool that can penetrate even superhard ice. This mission should bring to light important details about the past geology and climate of the planet. For example, the shapes of particles can reveal whether they were exposed to flowing water, or were repeatedly frozen and thawed, or remained soaking in water for extended periods.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3439041&page=1

Mars Express Image takes picture of shallow Maunder crater

The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on ESA's Mars Express orbiter has obtained pictures of the Noachis Terra region on Mars, particularly the Maunder crater. The pictures were taken on two separate days, November 29th and December 15th, 2005. The impact crater, named after the British astronomer Edward W. Maunder, is located halfway between Argyre Planitia and Hellas Planitia on the southern Highlands of Mars. One reason why these images are important is that they exhibit hummocky terrain. This terrain exhibits small, irregularly-shaped hills and valleys. The hummocky terrain in the Maunder crater was formed by deposition of landslide debris.

http://www.marstoday.com/news/viewsr.rss.html?pid=25746

Ice suggests a sea was once on Mars

That water flowed on Mars in the past is well known. The planet's landscape includes giant canyons and dry river valleys. The NASA Mars rovers have found geological evidence for bountiful water early in Mars' history, billions of years ago.The Mars Express images, however, are the first to offer clues that Mars has had large bodies of water in the geologically recent past. The scientists said the sea, which would have frozen quickly, was about the size of the North Sea and at least 150 feet deep.

The Mystery That is Mars

This article draws connections between Mars and Earth, focusing on three major puzzles: Martian volcanoes, martian river valleys, and Martian magnetic fields.

"In some ways Mars is strangely like Earth. It rotates in 24.6 hours and is tilted on its axis by 24 degrees, almost exactly the same as Earth. Its orbit wanders away from and toward the sun as much as Earth's does, giving Mars a range of climate rather similar to Earth, though much colder."

Mars Pictures

This website has many different interesting links about the exploration and colonization of Mars, but what I thought was most interesting and relevant to this class was the pictures provided on the home page. There are pictures of recent geological changes on Mars including sinking landforms and surfaces of Mars.

Mars Missions

This website provides us with all the past, future, and current missions to Mars. It also descibes the resaon for the mission the destination, and launch and return dates.

This website also suggest different elementary art activities to help students understand the importance of understanding geology and how these facts help us complete the picture of Mars.

Bits of Halley's Comet to Rain Down Sunday Morning!!

Weather permitting and under very dark skies away from the light pollution, skywatchers could see several meteors per hour. Rates will be significantly lower in cities and suburban areas. This year, brilliant Mars, is nearby and is the apparent source of these meteors, called radiant, will be positioned roughly between Mars and Betelgeuse.





This meteor display is known as the Orionids because the meteors seem to fan out from the region to the north of Orion's second brightest star, ruddy Betelgeuse.

A good time to begin preparing for your meteor vigil, would be around 1:30 a.m. local daylight time on Sunday October 21. It will be at its best several hours later at around 5:00 a.m. when Orion is highest in the skky toward the south, Orinonids typically produce around 20 to 25 meteors per hour under a clear, dark sky. Orionid meteors are dim and can't be seen very well from urban locations, so if you want to be able to see the best Orionid activity, find a safe rural location!

Strong Evidence Proof of Mars Water

An article from The Globe and Mail discussed strong proof of water found on Mars by Canadian researchers. There is a white, salty substance that was churned up by the Mars Spirit rover that physicists at the University of Guelph say reinforces earlier evidence that there may be water trapped under the surface of Mars. The remnants represent oceans or pools that have since largely evaporated. The white substance was caught in Spirit's wheels as it moved across the soft red surface in the Columbia Hills region. An X-ray spectrometer on the arm of Spirit captured the data and transmitted it back to Earth. Professor Iain Campbell said, "I think it's a very important piece of the jigsaw that we've been able to supply. there were indicators for water. We've come along and said there's a new approach, a way to process the data you may have never thought were useful. They're telling you there's water."

Dust storms on mars tracked by Opportunity and Spirit

Since late June 2007, Mars has been having a series of regional dust storms. The dust raised by these individual storms has obscured most of the planet over the past few weeks. The two maps shown here are mosaics of images acquired by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Mars Color Imager (MARCI) on two days separated by about 3 and a half weeks.

Spirit Arrives at Stratigraphic Wonderland!

The rover Spirit has just completed an extensive trek to an area scientists deem a ‘stratigraphic wonderland,’ a rocky area named “Texas Chili.” Rocks in the area will be analyzed with sophisticated instruments aboard the rover. The article then goes on to discuss the accomplishments of the rover prior to its current undertaking. A great deal of imagine and thermal emission spectrophotometry was accomplished by Spirit. The rover was also aiming to capture footage of dust devils with its navigation camera. Rock clasts and cloud formations were surveyed with panoramic cameras. Recently, Spirit scraped the surface of the Texas Chili area with a rock abrasion tool to acquire microscopic imaging. Spirit will continue to gather data about the area as well as take additional photos.

Mars Erupting

New evidence suggests that three volcanoes on Mars may be dormant and not extinct as was previously thought. This possibility has arisen from comparisons of Mars volcanoes to those in Hawaii. These Martian volcanoes are much bigger than those on Earth being around 186 miles across. Land features suggest that one of the volcanoes erupted relatively recently. It is the new images that are being taken of Mars' surface that are allowing these new inquiries. There is still a lot of missing data and unclear explanations that need to be worked out.
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Hawaii_Reveals_Steamy_Martian_Underground_999.html

Crater Investigation

New pictures have come in from ESA's Mars Express orbiter of Maunder Crater (seen above) on Mars. While the crater was once larger than it is now, erosion has filled in some of the bottom. The floor of the crater is made up of dunes, hills, valleys, and gullies. The more we find out about Mars' geography and geology, the more we can learn about its past.

http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Hummocky_And_Shallow_Maunder_Crater_999.html

Mars Pole Holds Enough Ice to Flood Planet, Radar Study Shows

Recent studies show evidence that the southern polar ice cap of mars contains enough water to cover the entire planet 36 feet (11 meters) deep if melted. This is the most accurate and precise calculation for the thickness of the planet's ice. The radar of the Mars express orbiter, revealed that the ice was surprisingly pure. The study also indicates that the polar ice cap may also contain just a little bit of frozen carbon dioxide, or dry ice. The research team also found a series of depressions buried beneath the ice only 180 miles (300 kilometers) from the pole. The amount of water in the ice cap is more than most scientists had expected, but not by a huge amount. And even when combined with the amount believed to reside at the planet's north pole, it's still only a small fraction of the water that scientists believe once existed on the red planet.

NASA Extends Mars Probes for 5th Time

An article posted by AFP reported Tuesday that NASA has announced that it will extend the Mars space probes Spirit and Opportunity for the fifth time. The two probes landed three weeks apart on Mars in January 2004. The mission was expected to only last 90 days, but NASA believes it could last until 2009. Opportunity has been exploring Victoria Crater, in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars since September. Spirit has been on the opposite side of the planet and is exploring the Home Plate volcanic plateau. This is where scientists believe the volcanic rock might contain traces of water. However, the rovers aren't getting any younger. "After more than three-and-a-half years, Spirit and Opportunity are showing some signs of aging, but they are in good health and capable of conducting great science," said John Callas, the rover project manager at JPL. The rovers carry sophisticated instruments that help NASA to examine the geology of Mars for information about prior environmental conditions. Opportunity has returned evidence that its area on Mars stayed wet for a long period, with conditions that may have been ideal for sustaining microbial life. Spirit has shown evidence that water in some form has changed the composition of the soil and rocks.

To date, Spirit has driven 4.51 miles and has sent back over 102,000 images. Opportunity has driven 7.19 miles and has returned over 94,000 images.

Views of the Martian Surface

This site provides you with a visual tour of the Martian surface as seen by the Viking 1 Mars lander. The surface of Mars is visible from a robotic-eye-view. Its pretty neat! Pictures of the first Martian 'dune-buggy,' Sojourner are visible. This Mars mission is a bit outdated, but the photos really give you a great perspective of what the Martian surface looks like.

There's definitely a lot of rocks....some serious geological wonders!

Space.com's 10 Best Mars Images

I just found this article on Space.com about the 10 best images of Mars. It was written in 2002, so there are obviously more images now, but this is still an interesting read.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_best_021203-1.html

Some High resolution images of Mars: Taken in 2003

Center longitude: 180° W
Center longitude: 120° W
Center longitude: 60° W
Center longitude: 0°
Center longitude: 300° W
Center longitude: 240° W
A Mid-Northern Summer/Southern Winter's MarsMGS MOC Release No. MOC2-325, 04 April 2003

Frozen Water and the Southern Pole

A team of research scientists based out of MIT have determined that the Southern Pole of Mars contains the largest deposit of frozen water in the inner solar system (besides Earth). It is important to note that they determined that water and not CO2 is the most abundant frozen liquid on Mars. A thin crust of CO2 rests above layers of dust and ice on the pole, and it was previously unknown if additional deposits of CO2 are present. Scientists were also suspicious since the atmosphere of Mars is composed of 95% CO2, it has been hypothesized that the polar caps were frozen CO2. Measurements of density were used to calculate the composition of the pole, which was found to be mostly frozen water with about 15% dust and silicate. Density data was gathered from topographic and gravitational data collected by 3 Mars orbiters.
Scientists are now wondering why much of the Southern pole is covered in a layer of dust, and why this dust only covers certain areas. A study is currently underway to determine the densities of the Northern pole.

Heat Sensing camera senses possible cave skylights on Martian Volcano...

Seven, small deep holes on the slope of Arsia Mons, a giant Martian volcano, have recently been detected with a heat-sensitive camera aboard the NASA Odyssey orbiter. There is speculation that the holes may be openings, called skylights, forming the ceilings of underground caves. Images were taken at infrared wavelengths with the Thermal Emission Imaging System, (THEMIS), designed by Arizona State University.
The holes are dark and approximately circular, ranging from 100-250 meters in diameter. The volcano Arsia Mons was visualized at night with the THEMIS to detect any anmoulus ‘warm spots.’ Locations found to contain thermal heat were examined in daylight conditions and found to contain the holes. It has been suggested that the holes were the creation of stresses from faults that opened spaces underneath the surface.

Does Mars Methane Indicate Life Underground?

Information/data obtained by the Mars Express probe indicate water vapor and methane gas are concentrated in the same regions of the Martian atmosphere, according to the European Space Agency. This is important because there is evidence suggesting that microbial life could exist on Mars. If microbes are making methane in the Martian atmosphere as part of their living process, they would rely on water. Other scientists disagree however. They argue that the new methane measurements are real and statistically valid. Even if there is evidence of methane gas and water vapor, they could easily be explained by other processes. However, there is a possibility that the methane is produced by organisms called methanogens, which are microbes that produce methane as a waste product of their life process. The gas would be released to the surface and into the atmosphere.

Mars in Color

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is now seeing in color. What were once black and white photos are now in color like the one on the left. While not the colors may not be the colors that we would see through our eyes, they make viewing landscapes on Mars easier. These pictures are helping to find a good landing site for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory as well as adding detail to maps of soil and minerals.

The video below animates some of these new pictures.

http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/HiRISE_Releases_Color_Images_Movie_Of_Prospective_Landing_Sites_On_Mars_999.html

Underground caves on Mars

Large black spots possible the size of a football field have been discovered on the surface of Mars. This specific hole shown was found on the slope the the volcano Arsia Mons. It is suggested that these holes could possible be entrances to deep underground caves, that are capable of protecting Martin life...

HiRISE Releases Color Images, Movie of Prospective Landing Sites on Mars

The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has added the dimension of color to its views of Mars. The University of Arizona-based HiRISE released 143 color images today. These images are valuable to researchers who are studying possible landing sites for future Mars exploration missions. These color images can be viewed at this URL: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu.

HiRISE is also releasing a color movie, which scrolls over one potential Mars Science Laboratory landing site in Nili Fossae, at 21 degrees north latitude and 74 degrees east latitude. The movie depicts several interesting land features that includes hydrated clay minerals and unaltered volcanic rocks. "The clay minerals are especially promising in the search for ancient life on Mars," said UA Professor Alfred S. McEwen, HiRISE principal investigator. The movie can be viewed here: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/media/clips/PSP_003086_2015_short.mov

This is not so much an article but a web page about certain landforms on Mars that can help us discover what this planet once was. Using the rovers and observing different characteristics of each rock or landforms portrays different possible historic backgrounds.

MARSIS gauges water around south pole

The instrument, named the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS), has created a new estimate of possible water usage by mapping the thickness of ice. It has made more than 300 slices through the layers coving the south pole. This has allowed us to achieve knowledge about the possibility of liquid water and therefore to possiblity of life

Humorous Mars Video

This is an animated video depicting what the Mars surface will look like in the year 202o in the Springtime. It touches on how so many Mars probes have failed. I found it to be pretty funny. Check it out:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yjiGH9QNiU0

Scientist sees Earth/Mars-like planet forming

About 425 light years away from us is a binary star system called HD 113766 - where one scientist believes an inhabitable, terrestrial planet is forming around one of the stars. According to the scientist who has made the discovery, the new planet is likely to be like Earth or Mars in size and location in its own solar system. The two stars in the system are similar to our Sun except they are both just slightly bigger and brighter, which makes them ideal for a livable planet. Plus, the planet is forming right in the middle of the inhabitable zone - where the distance from the star makes for the perfect conditions for water and other conditions that are required to support life.

There is no planet there yet - there is just a dust ring around one of the stars where planets are beginning to accumulate. Apparently, the star is just the right age to create rocky planets instead of huge gas giants at the inner part of the system. This is a pretty significant find if he is right, because most of the planets that astronomers find seem to be gas giants because they are so much bigger and easier to see. If we manage to leave Earth and colonize planets across the galaxy (and therefore still exist as the human race in 3-5 billion years when intelligent life has time to have developed on the new planet) maybe we can go over and meet our new neighbors...

Spirit and Opportunity

This short documentary portrays the difficulties and struggles in 2003 pertaining to the launch of Spirit and Opportunity, two rovers to Mars. It shows the emotions and energy that goes into launching these two rovers. It also shows how unpredicatable Mars can be. Plan for the best, prepare for the worst...

Mars rover finds "puddles" on the planet's surface

Recent pictures taken by the rover Opportunity has revealed small ponds of liquid water on the surface of Mars. The report identifies specific spots that appear to have contained liquid water two years ago, when Opportunity was exploring a crater called Endurance.
Many scientists are pessimistic however, because they believe that liquid water cannot exist on the surface of Mars because of its thin atmosphere. If these claims are true however, it would boost the odds that living organisms could survive on or near the surface of Mars, says physicist Ron Levin, who works in advanced image processing at the aerospace company in Lockheed Martin in Arizona.

Raging dust storm halts Mars rover's progress

A huge dust storm has broken out on Mars, cutting solar power to NASA's Opportunity rover and preventing it from starting its planned descent into Victoria crater. The current dust storm is the most severe ever to effect Spirit and Opportunity. Dust storms reduce the amount of power available to the rovers. John Callas of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, U.S. said, "If the dust levels were to increase further and stay elevated for several days, there is a risk to how well Opportunity could continue to work in this darkened environment." The rover team has now been forced to hold off the descent until further examination of this storm is studied. On a positive note, the wind has removed some of the dust that was stuck to the solar panels of the rovers, which prevented them from generating the maximum power.

View of Victoria Crater from Duck Bay

This article describes a recent image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity. This image was taken by Opportuinity and provides a view of Victoria Crater from Duck Bay. Opportunity descended into Victoria Crater on September 27, 2007, a journey of 5.77 miles from its landing site at Eagle Crater. Victoria Crater is larger than both Endurance Crater and Eagle Crater. In this image, the layered south face of the 20 foot tall Cape Verde promontory is located in the left side of the inner crater wall. The north face of the 50 foot tall stack of layered rocks is termed Cabo Frio and can be seen on the right side of the inner crater wall

Mysterious Dark Pit

The HiRISE instrument onboard the the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter found this mysterious dark pit:


The pit is about 150 meters in diameter and is located on the north slope of the martian volcano Arsia Mons. It is suspected that this pit leads to an underground cavern at least 78 meters deep.

Mars will be in best viewing position Wednesday night

This article, by Joe Rao, a Space.com Skywatching Columnist, says that on Wednesday night (or very early Thursday morning) Mars will be in the best viewing position it will provide us until the year 2014. Rao states that Mars is currently midway between the constellations of Taurus, the Bull and Gemini, and the Twins. It will rise shortly after 11:00 PM standard daylight time. If you haven't checked the Red Planet out, now would be the time. It will continue to get brighter throughout the coming weeks and months until, on December 9th, it will surpass Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, in brightness. Rao says that by this time Mars will even almost match Jupiter in brilliance.

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/070928_ns_mars_watch.html