Posted on 12/10/2010 7:39:31 AM PST by decimon
The small crater embedded in the northwestern rim of the Schiaparelli impact basin features prominently in this new image from ESAs Mars Express. All around is evidence for past water and the great martian winds that periodically blow.
Schiaparelli is a large impact basin about 460 km in diameter located in the eastern Terra Meridiani region of the equator of Mars. The centre of the basin lies at about 3°S/17°E and is named after the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli (18351910). Although he also studied Mercury and Venus, he is best known for his observations of the Red Planet.
During the Great Opposition of 1877, when Mars passed close to Earth, Schiaparelli mapped the planet, perceiving a number of straight dark lines across the red surface. He assumed that these were natural water-filled channels and used the equivalent Italian word, canali.
However, other astronomers thought he meant canals, meaning artificial irrigation and transportation routes, which led to a few astronomers, and a large number of the general public, believing that they had been created by intelligent Martians.
(Excerpt) Read more at esa.int ...
This one looks like it was done by Elsa Schiaparelli:
Aside from the craters its nearly indistinguishable from the deserts here on earth.
Apparently formed by some of the same processes.
· join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe · | ||
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.