APOD: Metal on the Plains of Mars (2011 Jul 31)

[APOD Robot]

Metal on the Plains of Mars

Explanation: What has the Opportunity rover found on Mars? While traversing a vast empty plain in 2005 in Meridiani Planum, one of Earth's rolling robots on Mars found a surprise when visiting the location of its own metallic heat shield discarded last year during descent. The surprise is the rock visible on the lower left, found to be made mostly of dense metals iron and nickel. The large cone-shaped object behind it -- and the flank piece on the right -- are parts of Opportunity's jettisoned heat shield. Smaller shield debris is also visible. Scientists do not think that the Mars, but rather is likely an ancient metallic meteorite. In hindsight, finding a meteorite in a vast empty dust plain on Mars might be considered similar to Earth meteorites found on the vast empty ice plains of Antarctica. The finding raises speculations about the general abundance of rocks on Mars that have fallen there from outer space.

<< Previous APOD

Discuss Any APOD

Next APOD >>

[/b]

[islader2]

Too much coincidence that an Earth object and a space object could be found so close to each other. Sorry==I can not buy it. Thanx.

[Beyond]

Too much coincidence that an Earth object and a space object could be found so close to each other. Sorry==I can not buy it. Thanx.

If you pay federal taxes, you've already bought "it".

[bactame]

Looks like a couple of crushed beer cans in center of image.

[Ann]

Humans litter everywhere! It's no excuse that space litters, too!

Ann

[alter-ego]

Looks like a couple of crushed beer cans in center of image.

Kind of reminds of of the Earth analogy: A tipped over backhoe with beer cans around it..

[hstarbuck]

Don't mean to be nitpicky, but shouldn't it read "discarded the previous year during descent"? Last year would be 2010.

[Benbrilling]

Well, if it's a meteorite, where's the crater?

[fraserwhitbread]

It's not enough for us to litter earth, we have to litter other planets as well. Maybe we should keep our junk here at home and learn how manage our own world properly before we head to other ones.

[Wasinger]

I know it looks like a meteorite but how do you know it's composition? Huh, Jerry? How?

[neufer]

Well, if it's a meteorite, where's the crater?

http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=24549

[orin stepanek]

Oh my! An accident on Mars and no insurance. Better call the tow truck.

[nstahl]

I know it looks like a meteorite but how do you know it's composition? Huh, Jerry? How?

They examined it. Read about it here. As for where the crater might be, it's probably long gone; remember Mars has atmosphere and dust and dust storms. And freezing and thawing that can bring buried things to the surface.

The negativity that shows up here sometimes doesn't add anything worthwhile.

[rguyg]

I know it looks like a meteorite but how do you know it's composition? Huh, Jerry? How?

They examined it. Read about it here. As for where the crater might be, it's probably long gone; remember Mars has atmosphere and dust and dust storms. And freezing and thawing that can bring buried things to the surface.

The negativity that shows up here sometimes doesn't add anything worthwhile.

So true; I grow tired of lame comments. But the meteorite looks to me, smaller than a basketball; like a football without the ends. Judging by the rivets and the grains of sand.

[bystander]

Don't mean to be nitpicky, but shouldn't it read "discarded the previous year during descent"? Last year would be 2010.

It's a repeat (as most Sunday's are) and the caption didn't get updated.

[neufer]

---

[hpfeil]

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07269

The Rover already did a spectral analysis of the meteorite to discover its composition. You can see the debris from its impact in the larger images at the above site. Low angle of incidence?

[moonstruck]

I know it looks like a meteorite but how do you know it's composition? Huh, Jerry? How?

They examined it. Read about it here. As for where the crater might be, it's probably long gone; remember Mars has atmosphere and dust and dust storms. And freezing and thawing that can bring buried things to the surface.

The negativity that shows up here sometimes doesn't add anything worthwhile.

Don''t worry. School will start back soon

[saturn2]

A meteorite of iron and nickel on Mars.
A device earthly of Opportunity rover on Mars.
Is it a encounter nearby of type 3 ?

[davidgin50]

Gosh!, why all the aggressively unpleasant posts?

[alter-ego]

Gosh!, why all the aggressively unpleasant posts?

Well, the APOD shows a crash scene on Mars (a god of war)... Maybe it's fitting?

Seriously, the forum goes through cycles of postings that have an antagonistic feel. Remember, writing openly can lead to misinterpretations. Agreed, some posts are hard not to interpret as intentionally unpleasant, but they are not always that way.

[Wolf Kotenberg]

Perhaps a visit to the Viking lander sites would also reveal things, maybe even some stunning things. I remember a DonalDuck cartoon that showed Pluto bringing a bone he had dug up, for Huey, Louey and Dewey. the next frame showed a crossection of theyr house and showed a gigantic dinosauer skeleton just a few more feet down. You never know. We need to send a John Deere backhoe to Mars.

[Chris Peterson]

As for where the crater might be, it's probably long gone; remember Mars has atmosphere and dust and dust storms. And freezing and thawing that can bring buried things to the surface.

A meteorite that size would not produce a crater. Depending on the nature of the ground it landed on, there might be a small impact pit, but the weathering mechanisms you list would rapidly eradicate such a feature.

[wasinger]

Gosh!, why all the aggressively unpleasant posts?

Sorry guys, I was trying to be silly - guess that didn't come across very well in print. jerry and I were undergrads together at OU.

[jdj17]

My only question is, who's going to clean that mess up?