The Curiosity On Mars Thread.

Mountainsandh

A bit disappointed at the whole mix up with this non existent discovery

I'm sure the results will be interesting anyway, but while I'm not usually one for CT, this is a strange turn of events.

shedweller

Mix up? I've had a quick browse but haven't found anything yet? Don't tell me they "made a mistake" in their findings......

Just Like Heaven

The announcement is live here; http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

shedweller

I just checked and there doesn't appear to be anything online yet. Any idea when it's starting?

Mountainsandh

I meant mix up before any results at all, in what info was communicated... You know, Elvis saying it would be one for the books, and then the whole backing up thing.

Mountainsandh

I missed the start

Mountainsandh

Couldn't hear the whole lot, with kiddies still up, what did they say was the next step for Curiosity ? Is it moving on ?

shedweller

Didnt see or hear anything at all. Jaysus, some lot we are huh?!!

shedweller

Small dig, found this: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20121203.html

So it's big news, just not that big!

shedweller

According to this pic, curiosity is close to a "river":http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/Meyer-1-pia16577-br2.jpg
I'm on the phone so i can't embed the pic.
I wonder will it drive up the river? Could be too soft. Could be a lot of data in there!

vonbarracuda

NASA announced last night curiosity will have a "sister" going to Mars in 2020

irishgeo

channel 524 sky discovery science mars landing 2012 , its on now.

shedweller

A recent image:
It's either the dust removal tool doing some cleaning or the Powder Aquisition Drill System (PADS) doing its thing at an angle. I don't know the working parameters of that but i'd say it's just the dust removal tool working in this pic.

shedweller

I have to say, i'm a bleedin numpty! The cleaning brush can clearly be seen on top of the head in the above picture. I remember someone else here making the same mistake. Uppy, downy, lefty, righty! :D

According to this it should be APXS (Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer) that is in contact with the ground.
Here's an update of where MSL is now:

And a view out over her shoulder:

Looks like an old roman road!

shedweller

No doubt some of you have seen this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpeK_V5JLCk

shedweller

Ah lads, this kid puts us all to shame!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRbeFyH6Mao

ThatDrGuy

Bad 10 year old kid! Methane is the breakdown product of a lot of bacteria not their fuel source. Methanogenesis is the formation
of methane as a metabolic end product of their action and not the primary metabolite (though reverse methanogenesis does exist). Is it
just me of is the standard of academic commentary getting worse ? Back in my day we wouldnt have made such elementary biochemical mistakes. I blame the education system.

shedweller

WASHINGTON -- NASA and the mobile application Foursquare have teamed up to help the public unlock its scientific curiosity with a new rover-themed Curiosity Explorer badge. Users of the Foursquare social media platform can earn the badge by following NASA and checking in at a NASA visitor center or venue categorized as a science museum or planetarium. Upon earning the badge, users will see a special message on Foursquare:
"Get out your rock-vaporizing laser! You've explored your scientific curiosities just like NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars. Stay curious and keep exploring. You never know what you'll find."
The launch of the badge follows the October check-in on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover, which marked the first check-in on another planet. Foursquare users can keep up with Curiosity as the rover checks in at key locations and posts photos and tips, all while exploring the Red Planet.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1406

im invisible

I must friend him on facebook
Curiosity was at Gale Crater
You were tagged in Curiosity's album 'pics of home frm Mars'

shedweller

Some pics from today:




And a ChemCam pic:

3ndahalfof6

Any word on the Eta star which might wipe out most of the planets in our system.

shedweller

3ndahalfof6 wrote: »

Any word on the Eta star which might wipe out most of the planets in our system.

You'll have to elaborate there lad! I googled a bit but found nowt.:)

3ndahalfof6

shedweller wrote: »

You'll have to elaborate there lad! I googled a bit but found nowt.:)

I wont do it tonight, on the vino, but I have talked to a few people who mentioned it to me, so I to will have to do some research, I did find some links about it, but it seems to be a would not hit to a might hit,

but if it does happen it is 80+ years down the road.

Mountainsandh

this maybe ?
http://news.discovery.com/space/will-earth-really-be-wiped-out-by-a-local-supernova.html

3ndahalfof6

Mountainsandh wrote: »

this maybe ?
http://news.discovery.com/space/will-earth-really-be-wiped-out-by-a-local-supernova.html[/QUOTE]

On the money, I am away for the weekend but once I get back I will try to live up to your standards of true information, sorry for going off topic.

irishgeo

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2106904,00.html

Has to be to this star ETA Carinae

If Eta Carinae is going to blow imminently, the obvious question is whether Earth is in mortal danger. Fortunately, the answer is no. At 7,500 light-years, the intense radiation from even a powerful supernova would lose its punch by the time it reaches us. All we'll experience is the most spectacular light show in many centuries. The last confirmed supernova explosion in the Milky Way happened in 1604, a teasingly close five years before Galileo pointed his first, primitive telescope skyward.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2106904,00.html#ixzz2H3B9NI2G

DubOnHoliday

Isn't Curiosity some machine, discovering future supernovae whilst driving across the Martian plains?

shedweller

New pic from the front left hazcam:


Some serious layering over on the right!

shedweller

Looks like Curiosity is investigating the "snake" feature.

This appears to be a close up of a segment:


What tool is contacting the ground here then? answers on a postcard!

im invisible

its still kinda, not so much 'hard to believe', but awe inspiring, or something, to think that thats happening on ANOTHER PLANET!