Comments on: Phoenix Camera Snaps Frost on Mars

By: inaminut's_mother

inaminut's_mother — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:39:54 +0000

Dear because you are too moronic to do this on your own go to http://www.dictionary.com and look up "sol".
To save time, it is short for SOLAR DAY; which is used on the moon, venus, and inside your head, since sunlight manages to make it there.

By: Chet

Chet — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:26:37 +0000

Nancy Atkinson: "the frost begins to disappear shortly after this image was taken as the sun rises on the Phoenix landing site."

inaminit Says: "How about this: a day is the period from the rise of the sun over the local horizon to the next rise of the sun over the local horizon, regardless of how long that period is. A day is a day?"

Quite unscientific semantics! The "Sun" does not "rise/set" above/below the horizon. Ever! I must be "nit picky" because it is the rotation of planet Earth or Mars or luna, etc., that causes the Sun "to appear to rise/set". Buckminster Fuller recommended we "think" and "state' it as "sunsight/ sunclipse": You "see" the Sun as your own planetary horizon rotates it into view just as it does for our moon or other planets or stars, etc. Only those objects orbiting Earth below the Clarke Orbit actually rises/sets above/below the horizon.

By: Tyler Durden

Tyler Durden — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:33:38 +0000

Did you ever imagine just 6 months ago you'd see a matter-of-fact headline that states "Camera snaps frost on Mars?"

Incredible. The solar system has a lot more water than we give it credit for, with the recent discoveries of water on Mars, the Moon, and even Mercury of all places.

Then of course there's the billions of comets with water and other volatiles.

By: Jon Hanford

Jon Hanford — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:21:51 +0000

"This high-resolution color photo of the surface of Mars was taken by Viking Lander 2 at its Utopia Planitia landing site on May 18, 1979, and relayed to Earth by Orbiter 1 on June 7. It shows a thin coating of water ice on the rocks and soil. The time the frost appeared corresponds almost exactly with the buildup of frost one Martian year (23 Earth months) ago. Then it remained on the surface for about 100 days. Scientists believe dust particles in the atmosphere pick up bits of solid water. That combination is not heavy enough to settle to the ground. But carbon dioxide, which makes up 95 percent of the Martian atmosphere, freezes and adheres to the particles and they become heavy enough to sink. Warmed by the Sun, the surface evaporates the carbon dioxide and returns it to the atmosphere, leaving behind the water and dust. The ice seen in this picture, like that which formed one Martian year ago, is extremely thin, perhaps no more than one-thousandth of an inch thick." This is the original caption for the Viking 2 frost image pictured above, from the site mentioned in my Aug 17 post above. It seems water & ice contribute to the frost seen on the surface. Subsurface water, though, seems to be the most abundant frozen compound below Phoenix. Hope this clears up some of the confusion.

By: LLDIAZ

LLDIAZ — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:45:12 +0000

If there is enough water to condense on the surface I dont see the problem of there being more underground. I read somewhere that the water could made into fuel. If that's the case why have'nt we left already..

By: Dork Leader standing by

Dork Leader standing by — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:50:55 +0000

New Mexico is a beautiful place in the winter time, isn't it?

I'm glad that they took care to not accidentally get the flower patch in the distance or the blue sky. Keeping the NASA tent out of the picture was flawless execution. Removing the gila monster without a trace shows how talented the boys and girls of NASA are with Photoshop.

All in all, TWO THUMBS UP!!

By: ielectalk

ielectalk — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:48:08 +0000

it's ok..

By: Flomaur

Flomaur — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:35:19 +0000

Does not it appear simple that frost means water in the atmosphere? What kind of temperature range exists between day and night to go below the dew point? Knowing this, and the atmospheric pressure on Mars, should not it be easy to calculate the amount of free atmospheric water available ?
This puzzles me?

By: Jon Hanford

Jon Hanford — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:03:56 +0000

For Charles Bell, 146 images from Viking 1 & 2 can be found at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/Viking . Three surface images with frost are designated PIA00530, PIA00533 & PIA00573 and more are also at this site. I can remember seeing these for the first time (in Sky & Telescope, I believe) and thinking Mars really does have seasons like Earth. For dollhopf, I think the frost is from carbon dioxide (dry ice), not water, but still an amazing sight.

By: scientistszz

scientistszz — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:02:43 +0000

The polars of mars are frozen Ice caps. There are images of dried up riverbeds. There definately was at one time water on mars. You could argue that the caps are technically water haha.

By: Thomaz

Thomaz — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:11:06 +0000

Well I guess its time to send a man to the moon already!

By: Robs

Robs — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:06:40 +0000

That could be anything, but I I want to know if there is really water on Mars.

By: Ralph Rewes

Ralph Rewes — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:30:17 +0000

Good image, finally. This is the type of photo we appreciate, not dark thumbnails. You can really appreciate NASA immense work on such a far away planet only when they reciprocate with their public, admirers, press and taxpayers. There should be standards that permit viewers to receive clear pictures like this, in a letter size minimum format with smaller size options and HD whenever possible.

Kudos for the latest photos!

By: Jon Hanford

Jon Hanford — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:22:18 +0000

@ Charles Bell, 146 Viking 1 & 2 images (including frost pics) can be found at the NASA Photojournal site: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/Viking?start=0. Both orbital & surface images can be found there (3 Martian frost images from Viking 2 are designated PIA00530, PIA00533 & PIA00573). For dollhopf, I believe the frost visible in this & other Viking images is carbon dioxide frost(CO2).

By: dollhopf

dollhopf — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:45:01 +0000

gregG Says: "We can expect to see some 'winter' landscape shots in the coming months."

I know that there is no chance for rain between the frozen and gaseous states of H2O on Mars. But could it be possible to see sorts of "snowflakes"?

By: Charles Bell

Charles Bell — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:32:59 +0000

This is a very nice image. I appreciate seeing the image of frost taken by Viking 2. I did not remember frost being detected then. But I was never able to see anything then except what made it to the newspapers or mgazines. There must be a wealth of info and pictures from Viking 2 and other earlier missions that never made it to where most of us could see it.

If anyone knows how to see a complete archive of Viking pictures via the internet, I would love to hear how to access it.

By: gregG

gregG — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:22:05 +0000

Yet another interesting aspect of the Phoenix mission – a dynamic landscape. We can expect to see some 'winter' landscape shots in the coming months. For the first time a mars probe (on the ground) will be showing seasonal variations from Mars.

Shame the lander is unlikely to survive the winter.

By: inaminit

inaminit — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 08:24:05 +0000

"sol 79"

For crying out loud, why do you need a special name for a day on Mars? What are we going to call a day on the moon? A luna? What about a day on Mercury, or Neptune?

How about this: a day is the period from the rise of the sun over the local horizon to the next rise of the sun over the local horizon, regardless of how long that period is. A day is a day?

Frost on Mars. Bet it is nippy. "Won't be riding the Harley today honey, I'm taking the car!"

By: Maxwell

Maxwell — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:29:43 +0000

So there is moisture in the atmosphere… enough to condense?