Mars mystery rock appears from nowhere

[Minas Tirith]

There's not a lot going on on Mars, these days, or is there?

http://www.examiner.com/article/mars-mystery-rock-random-rock-materializes-before-opportunity-rover-a-shock

A Mars mystery rock has space experts utterly bemused this week, as a strange rock has seemingly materialized out of thin air before the Opportunity rover. Called a real “shock” to scientists back here on the planet Earth, the reason for the stone’s appearance in front of the rover on Mars seems inexplicable at this point in time. Guardian LV News describes the supplementary information surrounding this interesting and unexpected find this Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014.

The Mars mystery rock has taken shape right in front of the Opportunity rover this week. To make matters even more mysterious, the space explored technology is motionless, so how an inanimate object like a rock appeared there remains a head-scratching question. The rover landed on the Red Planet back in 2004, and has not moved in weeks because space researchers wish to wait until better weather conditions off on the distant planet are more conducive to sight-seeing and information-tracking.

While the rover sits silently on the edge of a massive Mars crater, a new black-and-white photo (that has been colored by some capable enthusiasts) and taken earlier this Jan. now reveals that a strange and inexplicable rock has appeared. The source of the stone, say shocked scientists? No idea yet, but they hope to put forth some theories within the next several days while working together.

The Opportunity rover was conducting a thorough analysis report in the Cape Darby area of the Red Planet when the machine was put on hold and suddenly filmed this materialized Mars mystery rock. The stone was not in any prior images, and there is no evidence of anything (or anyone) placing it there. The foreign object is being called the code name “Pinnacle Island” and is expected to be part of some major scientific study and thought-making in the coming weeks.

“Most of all, NASA wants to figure out how the rock got there in the first place. Two theories have been estimated to determine the arrival of this unexpected surperise. Either the Opportunity somehow managed to turn up the stone while it was moving over Mars’s surface, or the rock was blown right out of the ground by a meteorite impact and happened to land next to the rover. It is mostly thought that the rover is to blame for the rock’s sudden appearance, although NASA admits that is just a guess. Apparently, the Opportunity’s front right steering has become out of commission, and that could have somehow caused the large stone to become dislodged and caused it to land in the position it is showing up in.”

This Mars mystery rock that has suddenly emerged before the silent Opportunity rover may remain something of an inscrutability and "shock" factor for now, but maybe time will hopefully provide some answers soon enough.

The rock that suddenly appeared next to the NASA’s Opportunity rover in the beginning of January turns out to have an irregular chemical composition for Mars: it has too much sulfur, magnesium and manganese, scientists say.

In particular, the rock has twice as much manganese as anything previously analyzed on Mars.

“Mars keeps throwing new stuff at us," said Mars Exploration rover lead scientist Steve Squyres.

The rock suddenly appeared on photographs taken by the Opportunity rover on Sol (Martian day) 3540 or January 8 Earth time, according to NASA’s website.

Photographs previously taken on Sol 3536 showed no trace of the rock. The body was named 'Pinnacle Island'.

 

[seek10]

“Most of all, NASA wants to figure out how the rock got there in the first place. Two theories have been estimated to determine the arrival of this unexpected surperise. Either the Opportunity somehow managed to turn up the stone while it was moving over Mars’s surface, or the rock was blown right out of the ground by a meteorite impact and happened to land next to the rover. It is mostly thought that the rover is to blame for the rock’s sudden appearance, although NASA admits that is just a guess. Apparently, the Opportunity’s front right steering has become out of commission, and that could have somehow caused the large stone to become dislodged and caused it to land in the position it is showing up in.”

Can't these people choose what is most probable than choosing the the one " mostly thought"(who are the most- nasa employees?), "guess", "some how managed to bring it" ?

 

[sacriface]

I wonder, if they say themselves, having examined the mars' surface a bit already, that the chemical composition of the rock is highly unusual; maybe it fell from space.

 

[l apprenti de forgeron]

I wonder, if they say themselves, having examined the mars' surface a bit already, that the chemical composition of the rock is highly unusual; maybe it fell from space.

Yes. In all that Mars theme seems to have many filters and lies. So, must be a very low percentage of info for be disseminated through the media, from all data that are in the hands of agencies.

 

[sacriface]

I wonder, if they say themselves, having examined the mars' surface a bit already, that the chemical composition of the rock is highly unusual; maybe it fell from space.

Yes. In all that Mars theme seems to have many filters and lies. So, must be a very low percentage of info for be disseminated through the media, from all data that are in the hands of agencies.

Indeed, I wouldn't even expect to hear anything reasonable as an explanation. If it fell from space, none would believe such an occurrence. But talking about the highly unusual composition and proposing that it was flicked from under the wheel just doesn't add up.

Regarding the data agencies have; how would anyone believe, on that note, that the mobile phone-like pixelated quality of black and white (or artificially coloured) photos is the best they can do.

There are machines sent beyond solar system 50 years ago, we get HD pictures of distant galaxies, nebulas and alike, but as far our own planets from the solar system go, sorry 640x480 is all we can do! come on.

 

[Darek]

There are machines sent beyond solar system 50 years ago, we get HD pictures of distant galaxies, nebulas and alike, but as far our own planets from the solar system go, sorry 640x480 is all we can do! come on.

And what about our moon?

_http://www.sott.net/article/272323-What-in-the-world-is-this-weird-object-on-the-moon

 

[sacriface]

There are machines sent beyond solar system 50 years ago, we get HD pictures of distant galaxies, nebulas and alike, but as far our own planets from the solar system go, sorry 640x480 is all we can do! come on.

And what about our moon?

_http://www.sott.net/article/272323-What-in-the-world-is-this-weird-object-on-the-moon

I'd say that's a different can of worms altogether, because mainstream astronomy is back in the stone age when it comes to question of any intelligent life in space.

So as far as the strange occurrences go, they're just crap at lying it away, but the objects on the moon (and there is SO MUCH of this kinda stuff) are completely outside of the mainstream's range of issues.pity.

 

[ianvr]

This rock appearance would make a great cartoon.

Imagine an alien standing just outside of robot's camera view laughing as he drops the stone where the rover has been saying; "let's see how this confuses them!"

 

[Mark7]

This rock appearance would make a great cartoon.

Imagine an alien standing just outside of robot's camera view laughing as he drops the stone where the rover has been saying; "let's see how this confuses them!"

Maybe it was this guy...

I don't chew my cabbage twice.
And you ain't heard the last of Ernest T. Bass!"
__Ernest T. Bass

;D

_http://blog.sixthsensical.com/2012/01/09/its-ernest-t.aspx

[edit: added link to blog]