Monthly Archives: December 2015

MARCI weather report, December 21-27, 2015

Posted on December 30, 2015 by rburnham

For the past week on Mars, the aphelion cloud-belt continued to expand its presence of water-ice clouds over equatorial regions. During the second half of the week, a couple small short-lived dust storms were observed over eastern Meridiani and Solis … Continue reading →

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Gullies carved by CO2 ice, not water?

Posted on December 30, 2015 by rburnham

Mars’s gullies may be formed by dry ice processes rather than flowing liquid water, as previously thought. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by two French scientists published online on December 21st in Nature Geoscience. They show that, … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Noachis Terra – false color

Posted on December 30, 2015 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, December 30, 2015. The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Hebes Mensa – false color

Posted on December 29, 2015 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, December 29, 2015. The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Nili Fossae – false color

Posted on December 28, 2015 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, December 28, 2015. The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Olympica Fossae

Posted on December 25, 2015 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, December 25, 2015. This VIS image shows a portion of Olympica Fossae. In this image several lava channels are visible, and it appears that lava has flowed in the larger depressions. The streamlined feature in … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Boulders on a landslide

Posted on December 24, 2015 by rburnham

The striking feature in this image is a boulder-covered landslide along a canyon wall. Landslides occur when steep slopes fail, sending a mass of soil and rock to flow downhill, leaving behind a scarp at the top of the slope. … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Holidays on Earth, busy days on Mars’

Posted on December 24, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1202-13, December 23, 2015, update from USGS scientist Ryan Anderson: Today’s plan is a four sol Holiday plan covering Sol 1202-1205, and it will be followed by some pre-planned activities to take us all the way until Sol 1214 … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Mamers Valles

Posted on December 24, 2015 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Say, December 24, 2015. This VIS image shows a portion of Mamers Valles. Mamers Valles is a large and complex channel system on the northern margin of Arabia Terra. More THEMIS Images of the Day by … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Arm diagnostics’

Posted on December 23, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1201-02, December 22, 2015, update from USGS scientist Ryan Anderson: Based on the latest images from Navcam, Hazcam, and Mastcam it looks like at least some of the “Greenhorn” sample was dumped before the arm ran into difficulties.The plan … Continue reading →

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