Archives for the 'Mars' Category
Really, Mars will NOT be the size of the Moon in the sky!
Published on 2 May 2009 at 3:58 pm.
17 Comments.
Filed under Mars, observing, public science, sky lore, skywatching.
Already, the annual urban myth about Mars being the size of the Moon in the sky is circulating the internet. Come on. Stop it people! Before you forward this thing on to other people, check it out! Actually, before you forward any “news” item that you get in email, text message, […]
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Five Years
Published on 3 Jan 2009 at 9:22 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under Mars.
Five years ago, today, the Mars Exploration Rover named Spirit bounced to a landing on the surface of Mars. I remember downloading the first images. This was particularly dramatic because only a bit over a week earlier, the British spacecraft Beagle 2 was lost during an attempted landing on Mars. The Beagle 2 was using […]
R.I.P. Phoenix
Published on 10 Nov 2008 at 5:00 pm.
No Comments.
Filed under Mars.
The Phoenix Lander on Mars has not been heard from in a week. It was designed to last for 90 days, but lasted for over 5 months. However, weather conditions at its location on Mars have been rapidly getting harsher, and the sunlight has been getting less. Adding to the problems with […]
Martian Sunrise
Published on 30 Aug 2008 at 10:17 am.
2 Comments.
Filed under Mars.
The Phoenix Lander is so far north on Mars that it is a little north of the Martian Arctic Circle. That means that in the peak of the summer, the Sun doesn’t set there. Conversely, it also means that the Sun doesn’t rise in the dead of winter. For a spacecraft that […]
Phoenix Flash Memory Problem
Published on 19 Jun 2008 at 6:49 pm.
6 Comments.
Filed under Mars.
According to a JPL press release, the Phoenix lander on Mars recently had an issue with its flash memory. You can read more about the incident on Emily Lakdawalla’s blog posting about it. Flash memory is a nonvolatile memory such as that used in memory sticks. The RAM on board the spacecraft loses data when […]
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Clumpy Soil
Published on 10 Jun 2008 at 1:45 pm.
4 Comments.
Filed under Mars.
The Phoenix lander is now well into its mission to study Mars. The first steps, of course, are to look around with the cameras. But, while the pretty pictures are what excite the public the most, scientists are much more excited about the other instruments on board the craft. These instruments will […]
White Stuff?
Published on 3 Jun 2008 at 3:21 pm.
3 Comments.
Filed under Mars.
The Phoenix lander has deployed its robotic arm and has carefully scooped up a shovel full of Martian regolith (soil). The camera, of course, is only black and white, but to make it color, three images were taken of the soil as illuminated by three different color LEDs. The images were then […]
