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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- An Unusual Vein of Deposited Rock on Mars
NASA ^ | December 12, 2011 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 12/12/2011 12:37:10 AM PST by SunkenCiv

Explanation: What could create this unusual vein of rock on Mars? A leading hypothesis is that this thin rock layer dubbed "Homestake" was deposited by a running liquid -- like most mineral veins are here on Earth. And the running liquid of choice is water. Therefore, this mineral streak -- rich in calcium and sulfur -- is the latest in the growing body of evidence that part of Mars had a watery past. This, in turn, increases the speculation that Mars was once hospitable to life. Pictured above is a vista taken near the western rim of Endeavour Crater by the Opportunity rover currently exploring Mars. The inset image shows a close up of the recently discovered mineral vein.

December 12, 2011

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; mars; science
[Credit: Mars Exploration Rover Mission, NASA, JPL, Cornell; Image Processing: Kenneth Kremer, Marco Di Lorenzo]

1 posted on 12/12/2011 12:37:18 AM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...

2 posted on 12/12/2011 12:37:55 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Merry Christmas, Happy New Year! May 2013 be even Happier!)
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To: SunkenCiv

Neat!


3 posted on 12/12/2011 12:42:24 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: SunkenCiv

We’re already mining on Mars? That explains a lot.


4 posted on 12/12/2011 12:49:30 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (You can't invade the US. There'd be a rifle behind every blade of grass.~Admiral Yamamoto)
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To: SunkenCiv

Why couldn’t a giant, with a big hoe, do that?

They shouldn’t assume water does everything.


5 posted on 12/12/2011 12:51:08 AM PST by Jonty30 (If a person won't learn under the best of times, then he must learn under the worst of times.)
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To: SunkenCiv

It's mine. Mars is my planet!

6 posted on 12/12/2011 1:26:02 AM PST by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: SunkenCiv
The new Mars rover, Curiosity, has a Twitter account you can follow and ask it questions:

MarsCuriosity Curiosity Rover
@semajretrac040 Mars gravity is 38% of Earth's. As I near Mars, I'll definitely feel the pull, but I'll weigh less there than on Earth.
10 Dec

7 posted on 12/12/2011 1:49:08 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper (Perry Christmas & Happy Newt Year!)
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To: SunkenCiv

martian semaphore?


8 posted on 12/12/2011 1:59:04 AM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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To: Vendome

Skid mark?


9 posted on 12/12/2011 4:25:08 AM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: SunkenCiv

Reminds me a a joke a few years back:

Why did Bush push for a resumption/expansion of the space program?

Cheney told him there was oil on Mars.


10 posted on 12/12/2011 4:37:00 AM PST by ixtl ( You live and learn. Or you don't live long.)
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To: SunkenCiv

In come the developers,
Up go the High Rise Condos!

And then.....

The TIMESHARE SALESMEN!!!!!!!!!!


11 posted on 12/12/2011 5:22:05 AM PST by left that other site
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To: SunkenCiv; bigheadfred
Looks like watery pasts are being exposed.

I just want to state formally that any stories of my watery past are lies, conjecture, and/or rumor at best. Don't believe a word of it.
12 posted on 12/12/2011 5:50:09 AM PST by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list)
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