Rock and roll on MARS: Massive trail of a boulder as it tumbles down a hill spotted by space probe above the red planet. Nasa doesnt yet know what dislodged the boulder, but recent speculation suggests it may have been due to a meteor strike. The trail was discovered by Nasas Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Analysis of the oblong rocks shadow suggests the boulder is about 20ft tall (6 metres) and 11.5ft wide (3.5 metres) - about the size of an SUV. The long track of a rectangular, tumbling boulder has on Mars has been captured in incredible detail by a space probe. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) discovered the trail left behind after a SUV-sized rock rolling down a Martian hill. Analysis of the rocks shadow suggests that the boulder is about 20ft tall (6 metres) and 11.5ft wide (3.5 metres). The boulders trail down the slope is about one-third of a mile (about 500 metres) long. The trail has an odd repeating pattern, suggesting the boulder could not roll straight due to its shape, according to Nasa +3 The boulders trail down the slope is about one-third of a mile (about 500 metres) long. The trail has an odd repeating pattern, suggesting the boulder could not roll straight due to its shape, according to Nasa The giant boulder, captured using MROs High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, ended its roll pointed upright. Nasa doesnt yet know what dislodged the boulder, but recent speculation suggests it may have been due to a meteor striking one of the larger craters. More... The satellite that could count every SUBWAY FOOTLONG on the planet: High-res space camera captures objects in incredible detail from space The UN takes on ASTEROIDS: Scientists expertise are pooled to help tackle threat of future space rocks The boulders trail down the slope is about one-third of a mile (about 500 metres) long, the space agency said. The trail has an odd repeating pattern, suggesting the boulder could not roll straight due to its shape. A path resembling a dotted line from the upper left to middle right of this image is the track left by an irregularly shaped, oblong boulder as it tumbled down a slope on Mars before coming to rest in an upright position +3 A path resembling a dotted line from the upper left to middle right of this image is the track left by an irregularly shaped, oblong boulder as it tumbled down a slope on Mars before coming to rest in an upright position MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched in 2005 on a search for evidence that water persisted on the surface of red planet for a long period of time. In its survey of the red planet, MRO has increased tenfold the number of spots surveyed close-up. One of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiters cameras is the largest ever flown on a planetary mission. While previous cameras on other Mars orbiters could identify objects no smaller than a bus, this camera will be able to spot something as small as a dinner table. In October, MRO have a close Mars close encounters with a comet set to fly by the red planet, giving it a rare opportunity to take images of the space rock. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched to space in 2005 on a search for evidence that water persisted on the surface of red planet for a long period of time. In October, MRO have a close Mars close encounters with a comet set to fly by the red planet, giving it a rare opportunity to take images of the space rock. Comet Siding Spring will pass by Mars only 82,000 miles (132,000 km) which would be the equivalent of a comet passing about a third of the distance between Earth and the moon. The nucleus of the comet wont hit Mars, but there could be a different kind of collision. We hope to witness two atmospheres colliding, explains David Brain of the University of Colorados Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). This is a once in a lifetime event. Read more: dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2724782/Rock-roll-MARS-Massive-trail-boulder-tumbles-hill-spotted-space-probe-red-planet.html#ixzz3CHykcNqS Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 12:09:06 +0000
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